


Books, bikes, boys

by tooweird2live



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Bad Boy Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Basketball Player Mark Lee (NCT), Deep Conversations, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is a Little Shit, Light Angst, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is a Panicked Gay, Nerd Mark Lee (NCT), Roommates, Soft Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Teasing, Top Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, other nct members mentioned - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:15:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25389643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tooweird2live/pseuds/tooweird2live
Summary: Mark Lee develops a huge crush on his roomate, who happens to be college´s biggest fuckboy. Chaos ensue - and Mark discovers that there is more to Donghyuck than his bad boy image.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 54
Kudos: 480





	1. It starts with two boys...

**Author's Note:**

> Soooooo, I´d been wanting to write some top, bad boy Hyuck and Riding gave me the perfect excuse to do it. Here´s the completely self-indulgent fic that resulted from that.  
> I hope that you enjoy it!

Mark is not dumb, he´s just confused.

Not many people know about his and Donghyuck´s friendship, but all the ones who know feel entitled to offer their unwanted opinion. The thing is that he doesn't understand why people think Donghyuck and him shouldn´t be friends. He doesn´t understand why they would say the other boy is a bad influence. Yes, Donghyuck might be all about wearing black clothes and piercings. He might be sarcastic and an absolute brat. He might have a flirty, confident personality that intimidates people. He might be a sassy little shit who´s too used to getting his way. He might be a menace with his auburn hair, tanned skin, sharp tongue and burning eyes. He might own a motorcycle and be one of campus´s biggest fuckboys.

But, despite all of that, Donghyuck is not a bad person. What Mark doesn´t want to admit is that it took him a while to figure it out, too.

At first Mark also thought Donghyuck was a bad boy or something like that. He didn´t know how he was going to survive having the younger boy as his roommate. Especially after their not-so-good first meeting with each other – where Mark happened to come into the room to find Donghyuck having _fun_ with another boy on their living room. Yeah, he left quite a first impression on Mark.

And yes, things after that little incident only got worse between them. Mark kind of hated Donghyuck, and Donghyuck loved making Mark´s life hell.

Truthfully, going against each other was easy; their personalities are different enough for them to clash often. For example, Mark is a huge nerd. He´s passionate about learning and loves reading, playing the guitar, and writing lyrics. He´s also absolutely in love with his major (music production). He likes pink, playing basketball and eating sweet things. He is a romantic. He is shy, but he never doubts to defend what he believes in. He prefers to stay in and have few but close friends. He sucks at cooking and his room is not a mess but it could definitely be cleaner. He hates ketchup and seafood. He is busy all the time, a perfectionist and a bit of an overthinker. Overall, he couldn´t be more different from Donghyuck.

Donghyuck, on the other hand, is all about fun and parties. He actually is kind of a genius. He doesn't like his major, but doesn´t hate it either. He hates sports and likes chicken and ketchup. He is cynical and doesn't believe good things about love. He is bold and unworried of what others might think. He is a social butterfly. He is good at cooking and kind of a neat-freak. He is easygoing and relaxed.

The only things they seemed to have in common at first were their irregular sleep schedules, their competitiveness and their mutual dislike for each other. Which became the source of their problems when they first met. They began a war to see who could endure it for longer.

Donghyuck had purposely started bringing people into the dorm to sleep with them at times he knew Mark was there. But it turned out, being a nerd doesn't mean that Mark lets people intimidate and walk over him. So, every time Donghyuck brought one of his friends over, Mark would bang the wall with a broomstick until Donghyuck´s visitors got annoyed and left. The younger boy obviously didn´t like that.

And that´s how the war started.

Mark would leave his things lying all around the place because he knew Donghyuck hates disorder. Donghyuck would put ketchup on all the food inside the fridge because he knew Mark can´t stand it. And those were only the first ones. The level of the pranks grew exponentially from there. In that first month or two living together, they got to know each other only so they could piss the other off. They would never admit it, but it was kind of fun. However, it was also a bit tiresome. But both of them refused to see it and kept at it, ignoring the fact that they were both normal people with normal struggles and sometimes they needed someone to rely on.

But one night, everything changed.

Mark had come into the dorm pretty late that night. He had gotten caught up studying in the library and lost track of time. He usually went into the dorm early or didn´t appear there until the next morning. So, it was an unusual hour for him to come in. Maybe that´s why Donghyuck thought no one would see him crying in the living room.

Mark had never seen Donghyuck look something other than confident. He was always smiling, flirting, teasing, calling him weird nicknames. He never showed any signs of weakness; he never seemed to be sad, frustrated, or beat down – sometimes he looked annoyed, but nothing further than that. Mark thought there were very few things that could get to Donghyuck. Maybe that´s why seeing Donghyuck kneeling on the floor besides the sofa, curled into himself, head buried in his arms, sobbing, took Mark by surprise. Maybe that´s why he didn´t hesitate to sit beside him the second he saw him.

“Hey, what´s up?” was the first thing Mark had said as he sat beside the younger boy. Donghyuck´s head had snapped up so fast, Mark was surprised he didn´t break his neck.

“What are you doing here, pretty boy? Thought you weren´t coming back tonight,” had been Donghyuck´s reply. He´d tried to smirk as he usually would, but his swollen eyes, the little sniffs and the crack in his voice made his act unbelievable.

“Just tell me what´s wrong, I wanna head to bed as soon as possible,” Mark had replied, trying to seem uninterested. It was then when he knew that he didn’t really hate Donghyuck – he´d actually come to care about the younger.

“Honey bun, I´m fine, fuck off,” the younger said. But the tears were still streaming down his pretty face. He didn´t look like he could´ve hold it any longer. So, Mark had done something he´d never thought of doing before: he had put his arms around the smaller boy and carded his fingers through his auburn hair. Donghyuck had frozen at first, but started holding on to Mark after a few seconds. And the older boy had let him cry until he couldn´t stay awake anymore. Afterwards, they had both fallen asleep in that position.

Although that night had changed Mark´s perspective on Donghyuck´s character, what really changed their relationship into a friendship happened the next morning. They had more or less woken up at the same time. Donghyuck had thanked Mark and tried to stand up. But Mark wasn’t having any of it. He´d coerced the talk out of the younger boy.

“I failed a big test I´d been preparing for the whole month,” Donghyuck had said. “I just feel like nothing I do, no matter how much effort I put in, is not worth it because it went wrong anyway. And it is really fucking frustrating!”

“It´s okay to feel down about it, as long as you don´t give up,” Mark had replied. Donghyuck had huffed, defeated.

“I´m just tired of _never_ being enough,” he had confessed.

“One failed test doesn´t mean anything.”

“It´s not only that, sweet cheeks, this is just the drop that spilled the glass,” he had said with a sad smile. Mark had frowned. He didn´t know much about Donghyuck except for what he´d picked up from gossip and bits and pieces from living with him. The thought that Donghyuck had problems or struggled with something had never crossed Mark´s mind, but well, he´d never thought of Donghyuck crying either. That´s when he´d realized how wrong he was about the younger boy.

“Maybe you could ask for help?” he had supplied. Donghyuck had rolled his eyes in annoyance.

“Although I might look dumb to you, cutie, I have more brains than you have books,” he had said snarkily. “I was desperate enough to get past my pride and ask for help,” he had admitted, eyes down. “But no one wanted to help me out, I´m too pretty for them, apparently,” he joked with a grimace, although Mark could clearly see the facade. Mark had instantly felt bad for the other boy.

“Maybe I could give you a hand?”

“You can give me a hand whenever you want, baby boy,” Donghyuck had said with a smirk, accompanied by a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows. Mark had blushed. Donghyuck had chuckled at him.

“I take that back, go shower or something,” Mark had replied with burning cheeks.

“No, wait, I…I do want help,” Donghyuck had said, clearly freaking out. He had these big puppy eyes and huge pout on. Mark had never seen the younger like that, so it was a huge surprise how cute the other could be. “Please.”

“I´ll help you out,” Mark had conceded. “Just _please_ stop putting ketchup on the food,” he´d pleaded. Apparently Donghyuck found his request hilarious, because he´d laughed.

“Truce?” he´d offered.

“Yeah,” Mark had said, smiling, for the first time of many yet to come, at Donghyuck.

“Glad to be friends with you, cupcake,” he´d said with a wink. Mark had felt his ears get hot, despite his better intentions.

Ever since then, they became friends. They stopped the war between them, only pulling harmless pranks at times, for the sake of fun. And it turns out they get along pretty well despite their differences in personality and tastes. Actually, their relationship is more based in their differences than in their similarities. They weirdly complement each other.

The only problem with that is that people keep wanting to interfere. They keep telling Mark about how Donghyuck is a bad guy, how he´s a bad influence. However, Mark doesn't agree with them. Donghyuck might appear like someone arrogant, overconfident and selfish. But Mark´s found all of that to be wrong. Yes, Donghyuck does sleep around a lot (read: he´s huge fuckboy), and he might be kind of a rebel when it comes to what people expect of him. But, he´s not a bad person. He does have a sharp tongue and is too smart and wild for people to cage him. But he is also funny, cute, and caring with the people he keeps close. He´s only hiding his vulnerabilities behind his bad boy persona.

But Mark doesn´t care about that. He thinks it´s part of what makes Donghyuck multifaceted and complex and himself.

He thinks people are wrong about Donghyuck and he wants them to see the wonderful person he sees on a daily basis.

Maybe Donghyuck and Mark didn´t start off with the right foot. But by the end, they managed to find someone to trust, to rely on.


	2. It continues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things change and mistakes are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, and it goes like this. Mark is a little bit dumb but well, he´s on his way.

Currently, Mark is in a dilemma.

The situation is that he wants to go to the bookshop and buy a book. However, he has no available means of transportation – except for Donghyuck´s bike. But to be able to take the bike he needs to ask Donghyuck, and that would involve waking him up. Mark knows Donghyuck hates being woken up in his free days. He stands outside the younger´s room for a good ten minutes before he gets to a resolution.

Fuck it, he wants that book and he wants it now.

He knocks on the door. There´s a groan in response, Mark takes it as a “come in.” He takes a look into the room before entering. There´s a bundle of blankets on the bed; he guesses that´s Donghyuck. He decides that it looks safe enough to enter; only the younger boy in the room, no naked strangers. Safe.

“Hey, Hyuck,” Mark says as a greeting. The nickname is one of the few changes made after they became friends. Donghyuck calls Mark all kinds of flirty petnames and Mark alternates between calling the younger Hyuck and insulting him.

“What do you want,” is mumbled by the bundle of blankets. Hyuck´s voice is raspy, and it does something to Mark´s heart.

“I need to ask you something,” Mark replies, fiddling a little with the sleeves of his sweater. Donghyuck only groans in response. Mark shoves all the blankets off him in attempt to wake him up. Hyuck groans louder.

Mark is momentarily frozen when he sees the younger boy. He´s lying on the bed with nothing but a pair of black briefs to cover him. He´s splayed out on the bed, tanned skin in all its glory. His body is not muscular, but lean; it´s not to be described as masculine or feminine, just as enticing. His shoulders are broad and his chest is splattered with moles. Even with his auburn hair looking like a mess and his eyes a little swollen from the lack of sleep, he still looks handsome. Now, Mark is not an idiot, he knows that Hyuck is incredibly attractive – he just never imagined it would affect him to this extent. He clears his throat.

“ _Hyuck_ ,” he whines, shaking the younger´s shoulder. Donghyuck blearily opens his pretty brown eyes and looks up to Mark.

“Why are you so desperate to see me, pumpkin?” he asks as he rubs the sleep off his eyes. Mark thinks he looks cute like this, opposed to his usual bad boy style. How Donghyuck manages to look cute and cocky and hot at the same time is a mystery still.

“Can I ride your bike?” Mark asks. Donghyuck sits up in a sudden movement, eyes wide.

“Can you _what_?” the younger boy screeches. Realization of how suggestive his question was hits Mark. His cheeks heat up in an instant.

“Oh my _god_ , dumbass! Not like _that_!” he squeaks in a high-toned yelp. Donghyuck, seems to find the elder´s embarrassment funny, and, as always, starts to tease him.

“Damn, baby boy, I didn´t peg you for the type,” he says with a smirk. Mark´s blush only deepens.

“I meant, can I borrow your bike to go to the bookstore?” Mark rephrases his question, ignoring his obvious red face. Donghyuck outright laughs at his request.

“No way I´m letting you on my bike alone, you wouldn´t know how to handle it,” the younger replies. Mark seriously doesn't know if he meant it in a literal way or if it was an innuendo. Knowing Donghyuck, it was probably both.

“Can you get me to the bookstore, then?”

“I swear you´re so needy, babe,” is Hyuck´s reply. Mark smacks his arm. But, of course, that doesn't deter Hyuck, only spurts him to tease the other boy further. “Hit me harder-“

“AHHHHHHH,” Mark screams to muffle the sound of the younger´s honey voice. Donghyuck cackles at him. Mark shuts up and Hyuck speaks.

“What do I get in return of my driving services?”

“Breakfast.”

“What are you still doing here? Get on the damned bike, I´m hungry,” Donghyuck says as he gets up from bed to dress up. Mark sighs in annoyance, but there´s also something resembling fondness in his eyes.

***

They decide they will have breakfast first and books later. Because Donghyuck had argued:

“You have like a thing for books where you just stand there for a long time and stare at them drooling, like they are your crush or something.”

Mark had tried not to look too insulted. He assured Donghyuck that he does not, in fact, have a book kink or anything of the kind. Donghyuck had answered with a disbelieving “Sure thing, cutie.”

Point is, they go to a pancake place, because both boys love pancakes. They sit at a table near the window, from where the younger´s bike is visible. Mark is still trying to catch his breath after the ride; he doesn't know why his heart raced so much, Donghyuck is a good driver (although he did go a bit faster than necessary). Mark attributes his heart´s crazy beating to the adrenaline.

They order and get caught in a conversation about which conspiracy theories they believe in. By the time their food comes, they are already bickering. It is fun. Mark beats Donghyuck with his knowledge and Donghyuck teases Mark with his wits. And this is one of the things Mark likes from hanging out with the younger; it is easy. There are no expectations or judgements. It´s them being genuine and enjoying it.

Of course, that´s when Donghyuck is not making it his life purpose to tease Mark to death with his endless innuendos.

“I think I know the reason why you take me out to feed me as a compensation for driving you around,” Donghyuck says as they finish their meals. There is a dangerous light in his eyes as he says this, and Mark doesn't know what to expect. “It makes you feel like my sugar daddy,” he says matter-of-factly, pointing his forefinger in the elder´s direction.

Mark sputters.

“Lee Donghyuck, I´m never feeding you again!” Mark screeches, horrorized. Donghyuck is cackling, his head thrown and his eyes shaped like little crescents as he laughs.

“The nerd image with the sweaters and hoodies and round glasses made me think you were the baby boy, but it seems like I´m wrong,” the younger continues with the teasing. He pretends to be serious, but there is a small lift at the corner of his lips. Mark feels his blush go up to his ears. “So, tell me, daddy, how would you like me?” he says with a flutter of his eyelashes.

“I´m seriously about to strangle you.”

“Kinky,” Hyuck purrs. “But I like it.”

“Just shut the fuck up, you prick,” Mark groans without a real bite to it, hiding his burning face in his hands. His heart is racing again – probably in embarrassment, he thinks.

“Oofff, it turns me on when you swear at me,” Donghyuck says with a smirk. Mark lets out a strangled, high sound out of his throat before he slams his head against the table in defeat.

“I hate you,” he grumbles. He hears Hyuck chuckling.

“Nah, I´m too irresistible for that.”

And so it goes. They have fun together. Mark thinks that, despite all the embarrassing flirting Hyuck does, they are good friends.

***

Fuck homework, honestly.

Mark groans loudly and slams his head against the guitar on his lap – which turns out to be horrible decision because damn, that hurt. Now he has an unfinished song _and_ an upcoming headache.

He hears someone knocking on his door. Without waiting for an answer, Donghyuck comes in, holding a plate with food – actual healthy food and not just a cup of ramen.

“What´s got you all bothered, pretty boy?” Donghyuck asks with a smirk. Despite his flirty tone, Mark can still see the little crease of worry between his eyebrows.

This is another one of the things that has drastically changed since the stopped their rivalry; they grew into this little habit of doing things for each other. Small things that might seem insignificant, but that have built an unbreakable and well-founded trust and understanding between them.

Now that Donghyuck knows that Mark can´t cook to save his life, he makes sure to cook dinner whenever he can and leave Tupperware with food just in case Mark is hungry. And now that Mark knows just how much the mess bothers Hyuck, he tries to keep the dorm as clean as he can, and wash all the dishes at night (Hyuck cooks and he washes, it´s a good deal). Donghyuck doesn't bring people over anymore (even if Mark knows he still goes around). Mark makes sure not to play the guitar when Hyuck _does_ come home to sleep. Donghyuck looks out for Mark, ensuring that he won´t overwork himself (at least not too much). Mark tutors Donghyuck whenever he needs help in school.

If one asks what´s wrong, the other is not afraid to answer. They listen to each other´s struggles, without judgement – only understanding. In this dorm, with each other, they are safe. They are each other´s safe place, and they have demonstrated it with these little gestures towards the other.

Seeing Hyuck worry for him, makes Mark´s heart warm. With a sigh, Mark answers Donghyuck´s question:

“Stupid song is almost done but I can´t finish the stupid lyrics,” Mark grumbles, digging the heels of his hand in his tired eyes. Donghyuck hums in acknowledgement. He enters the room, leaves the plate by Mark´s nightstand and sits beside the older boy. He places a hand on Mark´s thigh. Mark feels comforted by the gesture.

“What´s the song about?” the younger boy asks, looking up at the elder.

Mark thinks that Donghyuck looks good like this; wearing a worn hoodie and a pair of sweatpants, with his hair down, bare face and his glasses on. Usually, Hyuck sticks to wearing denim or leather jackets with low-collared shirts that show off his collarbones and neck, and those tight pants that make his legs look like sin. On any day, he´d have his hair styled up to show his forehead and would never leave the dorm with his glasses on. His makeup changes from day to day, but it always makes him look prettier and more intimidating than he already is. And, although Mark thinks Donghyuck looks really hot and enticing in his usual style, he also likes the way soft looks on him.

But Mark won´t say that to Donghyuck, it´s not a friends thing to say and he honestly doesn´t know why he even thought of it. He knows Donghyuck is attractive but he should not stay stuck up on that. He must be seriously tired to be thinking about this.

Donghyuck clears his throat, expecting an answer to his question. By the look in his eyes, Mark knows that if he doesn't speak now, the younger boy will start teasing him.

“It´s about falling in love,” Mark answers. At least that´s what he was thinking about while he composed the music. Now that it´s time for the lyrics, he doesn't know where to start.

“Romantic love is overrated,” Donghyuck huffs with a roll of his eyes to show his annoyance.

“Why do you say that?” Mark questions, tilting his head to the right in confusion, like a puppy would. Donghyuck presses his lips in a thin line before answering.

“Yeah, falling in love could be fucking great and all, but it´s not the purpose of life or the best thing to happen to someone,” he starts. “I just think movies, songs and media in general try to elevate romance to something so good that everybody wants to have it in real life. But the truth is that they will never experience fireworks when they kiss or have epic love confessions or have prince charming save them or live happily ever after without any kind of issues. People have this idea that they should spend their life trying to find the kind of love that will change their life forever, but they never will, cause it doesn't even _exist_.”

“I don´t think that’s true,” Mark answers. He sees where Donghyuck is coming from, but he does not agree. Hearing that Hyuck doesn´t believe in good love makes Mark´s heart ache; he doesn't know why. “Maybe the media does exaggerate a bit. But I think great, life-changing love exists. It´s just different for everybody. Someone might find love in a way of thrill and someone else might find it in a way of comfort.”

“I think love – or at least the idea people have of love – does more harm than good,” Donghyuck says with a shrug. Mark feels something heavy pull at his chest at the thought of Donghyuck being hurt because of love. “Going on for your whole life expecting the time when you get to love and be loved in return, and then finding it was all a lie.”

“The way I see it, you have two choices: believing in love at the risk of never finding it, or not believing and denying yourself the possibility,” Mark says. “Believing in love might imply the risk of loss, but also the opportunity of gain, you know?”

“You´re such a romantic, sweet cheeks,” Donghyuck replies with something akin to fondness in his eyes. Mark smiles at him. Then, Donghyuck lies back on the bed, facing the ceiling, in deep thought. “Fine, _possibilities_. You gonna write lyrics on that?”

“No,” Mark answers, frowning a little. Writing about the possibility that love exists, but also the possibility that it _doesn't_ seems like something too sad for the music he´d written. “Maybe I´ll write about a kind of love that´s not often portrayed in the media,” he says as he throws a smile in the younger´s direction. “I could write about love being as familiar and surprising as rereading your favorite book. And falling for it deeper every time.”

“You are a nerd and a lost case, hopeless, really,” Donghyuck huffs. Mark scoffs, intending to sound offended. However, he is curious about what Hyuck has to say.

They usually talk about anything and everything – except their love lives. He doesn´t know why, it´s just kind of the silent agreement they got to. They don´t talk about love, they don´t talk much about feelings either. But listening to what Donghyuck thinks of love is interesting; he brings out points Mark had never considered before. Talking to Hyuck makes him think and he likes that.

“Okay, so what would you describe love as?” Mark asks. Donghyuck doesn't even take a beat before answering.

“A weapon.”

“How so?”

“Is this a philosophy class, cupcake? Are you trying to teach me about life, daddy? Or do you prefer it if I call you sir?” Donghyuck teases, wiggling his eyebrows. Mark lightly slaps the younger´s arm.

“Please don´t project your kinks on me, thanks,” Mark states with a plain face before they both burst out laughing. Mark thinks that a smiling Donghyuck is the best kind of Donghyuck; he really likes the sound of the younger´s laugh, how he laughs with his whole body. But now is not the time to admire his friend´s beauty. “Come on, Hyuck, I wanna hear what you have to say about it. Why a weapon?”

Donghyuck looks into his eyes, as if looking for something there. Maybe he wants to see if Mark is asking for his opinion out if politeness or if he really does care. By the end, the younger boy sighs and answers.

“Loving someone is like giving them permission to hurt you,” he murmurs, not looking at the elder in the eye. “You give them your love, a part of yourself, and hope they will take care of it. You hope they won´t use it to take advantage of you. And little by little, that love grows; that part of yourself they keep gets bigger and their responsibility is more. And that person has you, and it would be so easy for them to take your love into their hands and crush it. Then, that person you loved disappoints you – because people aren´t perfect and they are bound to disappoint someone, no matter what – and they break your heart, they break you. But by the end, it is your fault, because if you hadn´t given them your love, they would´ve never been able to hurt you.”

“I never thought of it that way…”

“Thanks for coming to my TED Talk, honey bun. My speech structure is a literary jewel,” Donghyuck jokes, trying to lighten the mood. Mark chuckles at the younger´s antics.

“Damn, you really make me look like an optimist,” Mark concedes. Hyuck laughs at him.

“Don´t worry, baby boy, it makes you adorable,” the younger says with a wink. Mark blushes slightly and smiles at him, shaking his head. This boy just uses every possible opportunity to flirt, what the hell.

“Hyuck, have you ever been in love?” the older boy asks then. He doesn´t know where the question came from, but, for some reason, he cares.

“Nah,” Hyuck answers with a dismissive gesture. “I don´t really know or care about love. It´s better to have fun, no compromises, no expectations.”

“Is that why you sleep around so much?” Mark asks without thinking. His eyes widen and he covers his mouth as soon as the words are spoken. Donghyuck laughs at his expression.

“Don´t worry, cutie, it´s not a secret,” Donghyuck says. For some reason, Mark thinks he sounded a bit sad about it. “And yeah, well, kind of. Not getting attached allows me to have fun, live different experiences, and not put myself in the line emotionally.”

“Isn´t that like living off fake emotions?” Mark asks in a whisper. He knows Hyuck most probably won´t be offended by his question, but he still feels like he should tread carefully.

“Maybe, but it is enough for me. And people might not like me too much, but they still want me. Really, sweet cheeks, I´m okay,” he says with a relaxed smile.

And Mark comes to a conclusion that had never crossed his mind before: maybe Hyuck doesn´t sleep around only for the physical pleasure of it. Maybe he is just trying to replace the emotional rejection of being unlovable with the certainty of being sexually desirable. Maybe Donghyuck is much more of a softie than he likes people to see. Maybe that´s why he hides his big heart from others – to prevent it from getting hurt.

Mark doesn´t know why, but he wants to assure the younger boy that he is capable of loving and being loved back. He wants Donghyuck to know that he is a wonderful person, even if most people don´t notice it.

“If you say so,” Mark replies. “Maybe you can find love many times and experience different things with the same person, build a home on memories and adventures. _And_ I´m sure people who dislike you are just jealous, and that someday you _will_ find your own big love,” he says, looking directly into the younger´s eyes.

“Thanks, cupcake,” Donghyuck answers with a small, yet sincere smile.

“Wow, I really am a hopeless romantic, huh?”

“It´s a dangerous game you´re playing, but well, dreamers are the ones that have brought change into the world,” Hyuck says honestly.

“And realists have kept it working in the meanwhile,” Mark replies.

“This means that we´d make a really good couple, pretty boy,” Hyuck jokes with an uncharacteristically soft smile on his face. There is a glint in his eyes that Mark can´t decipher. Mark doesn´t know why, but he feels yearning at what Donghyuck said and a weird, hot feeling in his stomach. He decides to let it go in favor of laughing along with Hyuck.

Donghyuck ends up standing up again, leaving Mark to finish the song on his own since (according to him) he is of no help regarding this kind of topics. Mark thanks him for the meal – which is now cold, but still delicious – and the company. Donghyuck wishes him good night and leaves.

***

A couple of nights afterwards, Mark is awoken by a loud thud. He supposes someone crashes on their dorm´s door. Since Donghyuck hadn´t arrived before Mark went to sleep, he decides to go and check, in case it is the younger coming home after a party or something. He slips out of his bed and heads to the door.

Turns out he was right. Mark´s breath hitches at the sight of the other boy.

Donghyuck is leaning against the doorframe, looking like sin. He is wearing tight, ripped pants that show how long and curvy his legs are. He has a black button-up on, but it is half open, showcasing his slightly sweaty chest, his beautifully tanned skin covered in moles, and his defined collarbones. And, of course, to finish it, he´s wearing party makeup: dark eyeliner, red eyeshadow, pink lipstick. He looks so sexy and beautiful and…drunk, too. 

“Hey there, hot stuff,” Donghyuck drawls, looking at the elder with half-lidded eyes. Mark is a bit surprised by the nickname, since Hyuck usually sticks to calling him cute nicknames or baby boy at most. Donghyuck has never actually, really tried to flirt with him. Or at least Mark doesn´t think so – the younger never tried getting in his pants or anything like that, he thinks. He was always just teasing him for the sake of fun, friendly flirting.

“Hi, Hyuck,” he answers. He doesn´t let the desire burning in his stomach distract him. “I didn´t expect you back from the party so soon.”

“Hmmm, I was bored,” the younger manages to slur out. Mark takes one of his arms and places it over his shoulder, attempting to help Hyuck into the dorm. “You´re handsome and part of the basketball team. Why don´t you go on parties, huh?”

The older boy tries to ignore the first part of Hyuck´s question. He blushes at the compliment anyway. But onto the topic. Mark thinks parties are tiring and annoying. Too many horny people dancing to too loud music in a too small place. Doesn´t sound appealing for him. In general, Mark restricts socializing to basketball practice and maybe some hangouts with his closer friends. But parties… parties are just too much; he doesn´t go unless it is a big event or he really needs to find a hookup to destress. So, yeah, Mark doesn´t do parties. But explaining all of this to a very drunk Donghyuck doesn´t seem plausible, so he settles for a simpler answer.

“I get bored,” Mark answers. Donghyuck only hums in acknowledgement, his sleepy eyes losing focus.

Mark helps Donghyuck to bed. He wants to help Hyuck, since the other boy has always been there for him when he´d needed help. The elder almost has a heart attack when Donghyuck starts undressing in front of him. So, as the panicked gay he is, he throws Hyuck´s pajamas his way and exits the room. That is until he hears Donghyuck whining, calling for him.

“What do you want now?” Mark asks when he comes back into the room, bringing a glass of water with him and handing it over to the other boy.

“Are you afraid of being alone?” Donghyuck asks, suddenly serious. Mark is surprised by the lack of humor in the younger, because usually he always tries to lighten the mood, even in serious situations.

“You´re tired, Hyuck, you should sleep,” the elder replies, trying to change the topic.

“I´m scared of being alone,” Hyuck whispers. “Fuck you, baby boy. The other night you asked me why I sleep around so much and reminded me of that.”

“Why is that a bad thing?” Mark asks, confused at the younger´s sudden outburst.

“I don´t wanna care about people and then be left behind,” Donghyuck admits. His eyes look sad and hopeless. “It´s better to always have people around, even if you´re lonely. You´ll be too distracted to care enough.”

Mark feels a painful pang at his chest at the younger´s words. He doesn't want Donghyuck to be lonely. To feel lonely. He doesn´t want him to be scared and unhappy.

“You´re not alone, you have me,” Mark murmurs to the drunken boy. Donghyuck´s gaze slides up to him.

“For now, you want me to be your friend. But feelings change and you will leave me too, someday,” Donghyuck says. And he looks so sure, that it hurts Mark.

“Feelings don´t change on their own,” Mark replies, determined to make Donghyuck believe that he means it. “There´s a part of our feelings we don’t control, but there´s also a part that we choose. And I choose to stay.”

Donghyuck looks at him with big starry eyes, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. When Mark doesn't say anything else, Donghyuck swallows and speaks again.

“Pinky promise?” he asks in a small voice, holding his pinky finger towards Mark.

“Pinky promise,” the older answers, linking their pinkies together.

“Okay.”

“Night, Hyuck.”

“Night, pretty boy.”

If Mark feels his heartbeat pick up at the other´s voice, he doesn´t say anything. He just tucks Donghyuck in bed and goes back to his own to sleep.

***

Mark is not dumb. And, opposite to everyone´s belief, he´s not actually dense enough to not notice the _little_ crush he has on Donghyuck.

Mark knows that what he feels for the younger boy is no longer only physical attraction. He knows there are deeper feelings involved. He knows that somewhere between the rivalry, the pranks, the friendship, the bickering, the talks, the late nights together…he managed to fall in love with Lee Donghyuck.

The thing is, Donghyuck makes him feel…weird. He doesn't really know how to describe it. Like, Donghyuck makes him feel shy when he compliments him, and also excited when he flirts with him. But he also makes him feel comfortable when they´re doing nothing except for being domestic. He feels understood and cared for when they talk or eat together. He feels annoyed when the younger teases him. But he also feels appreciated whenever he cuddles him and clings to him.

Donghyuck pushes Mark´s limits and forces him to live new things, but he´s also thoughtful and aware of when it is too much. He understands Mark in a weird level, where he makes Mark feel comfortable enough to be himself freely and without justification, but also propels him to experiment – to be better, happier.

And Mark might not know the exact word for what he´s feeling, but he knows that he´s fallen in love with his roommate.

However, he doesn´t feel great and joyous and wants to confess. No. He feels confused. When he is with Hyuck, he feels happy and wants nothing more but to ask him out and _try_. He feels like his romantic, positive self who believes in love and miracles. But when he is alone in the dorm, knowing why Hyuck isn´t coming back for the night, he feels sad and hopeless and angry at himself for falling in love. Because really, out of all the persons he could´ve fallen for, he chose the one guy who is out of his league, doesn´t believe good things about love and has made it clear he will not stop being a complete fuckboy.

And really, Mark understands why Donghyuck is like that, why he sleeps around so much, why he doesn´t want compromises. They´ve talked about it, for god´s sake. What he doesn't understand is in what moment his stupid heart decided to fall for Donghyuck. Mark can´t even be angry at the younger because it is not his fault; he has his own lifestyle and that´s okay, but why does Mark feel this way?

Feelings are unfair.

And maybe love is as Donghyuck had told him: a weapon. By falling for Hyuck Mark gave him his heart – even if the younger boy doesn´t know it. And every time Hyuck leaves for a party or a hookup, he hurts Mark without even realizing it.

Mark thinks it is pathetic.

He develops feelings for someone, but he doesn't want them. He doesn't even want to try; with Hyuck´s history, he would end up hurting more. That’s not how love is supposed to work.

Mark Lee does not want to be in love with Lee Donghyuck. But every time he looks at the boy, he can´t help falling deeper in.

***

For some reason unknown to Mark, Donghyuck starts spending more time at the dorm. He leaves for parties or to meet his friends every once in a while, but the majority of the days he stays in. With Mark.

Mark tries to act as he usually does, but he finds himself staring more, and on the edge of saying compromising things more often. And to top it off, Mark thinks Donghyuck is being weird. Donghyuck flirts with Mark like he always does, except that now there is an underlying softness to much of what he says. He still loves teasing Mark until his face is as red as a tomato, though. And Mark thinks he´s caught Donghyuck staring at him, too.

There´s also this thing about Donghyuck being touchy. Mark knows Hyuck has always been a person who seeks for physical contact, especially to flirt but also when being friendly. And Donghyuck did touch him a lot before; nothing much, just a hand on his knee or his shoulder. But now, whenever the younger boy touches Mark, it is different – Mark _thinks_ it might be different. Donghyuck still touches his knee and shoulder, but now it´s a bit firmer, more possessive. And now Hyuck has added caressing Mark´s forearm and putting his hand on the elder´s lower back. For whatever reason, Mark thinks the touches are different, more lingering.

He concludes that he probably is going delusional. He probably is projecting his feelings onto Hyuck. It´s not real – there is no way Hyuck would suddenly like Mark like that.

And it hurts him.

It hurts him to know that it´s not possible. And seeing Hyuck right there, looking like maybe he…he might like Mark too, it´s just too much for him. He can´t do it.

So, Mark chooses to do something he´s not proud of, but that will hopefully take him out of this ditch of love he finds himself in. He decides to start dating again.

Opposite to common belief, being a nerd does not mean that you are naïve, boring, inexperienced or any of that bullshit. Mark is a nerd with experience in love. He´s dated before – plenty of times. The only reason why he hadn´t dated anyone this year is that no one had called to his attention. Now, though, he´s desperate for a distraction from Hyuck and dating seems like the solution.

Mark decides that he will go on a date with this cute guy from his music theory class: Bok Jinho. The boy is handsome, nice, the complete opposite to Donghyuck and luckily, is interested in Mark.

***

After an hour or so of preparation (which is a lot of time for Mark´s standards), he is finally ready for his date. He´s been cooped up in his room deciding what to wear and how to groom his hair, while Donghyuck is in the kitchen. Mark doesn't know what the younger boy is cooking, but it must make him happy, because he´s been singing lightly for the whole hour. Mark really likes his voice, but he tries to ignore the thought.

Mark is dressed in an attire that´s unusual for him. Instead of his comfortable clothes, sweaters or sportswear, he´s wearing a navy-blue shirt paired with white pants. He also groomed his hair in a way that shows his forehead, plus his round glasses. He looks good, he´ll have to admit. 

He takes in a deep breath and walks out of his room.

“Hey,” he greets Donghyuck as he enters the kitchen.

“Hi,” the younger boy answers without looking up from the stove. When he finishes doing whatever he was doing with the food (yeah, Mark´s not fully absolutely capable at describing kitchen/cooking processes), he turns to Mark.

Donghyuck´s eyes go from Mark´s shoes up to his face, slowly, taking in every detail. His lips are a little parted. Mark feels his ears hit up and his heartbeat thrum under the younger´s intense gaze.

“Looking good, pretty boy,” Donghyuck says, sounding a little breathless. For some strange reason, the familiar nickname makes him feel a little heated.

“Thanks,” Mark answers with a small smile. He tries not to blush, but judging by how heated his cheeks feel, he´d say he failed.

“You know, I´ve always liked your sweatpants and basketball shorts, but this look definitely suits you, too,” Donghyuck purrs, flirty smirk on his lips. Mark chuckles and rubs the back of his neck, bashful. “Going somewhere, cupcake?”

“Yeah, I´m going out for lunch,” Mark answers with a little grimace. He doesn´t actually feel excited for his date, but well. He couldn´t find a faster way to forget about his feelings for Donghyuck.

“Oh,” is the younger´s boy answer. It´s weird, Mark thinks, Donghyuck sounds a bit disappointed. Does he, perhaps, want to spend his weekend with Mark? “I´d cooked a little something, but if you have plans I´ll have to eat it all on my own,” he says. He has a teasing smile on his face as he says this, but Mark can tell he is hiding something.

“I´ll be back for dinner, if you wanna hang out later,” Mark says before he can think it through. Dammit, sad Donghyuck makes him impulsive. But Hyuck´s grin makes the regret stop and the weird feeling of excitement in his stomach arise.

Oh, Mark really hates being in love. It´s confusing as hell. His heart and brain are always racing to be the first one to take control of his mouth.

Donghyuck opens his mouth to reply, but the sound of knocking on the door interrupts him. Mark hurries to open the door. Maybe if he goes fast enough, Donghyuck won´t notice where he´s going (except that he should want Hyuck to notice and know that he´s not available and definitely not crushing on him).

However, luck doesn´t seem to be on his side. Donghyuck stands right beside him as he opens the door.

“Hi, Mark Hyung,” Jinho greets with a cute smile. Then, he seems to notice who he´s with. The blond boy´s sweet smile soon turns into an expression of disgust. Mark tries to ignore the anger in his chest at the boy´s expression. He doesn´t dare to look at Donghyuck.

“Hi,” he says instead. “Um, we should get going…” he starts, taking a step into Jinho´s direction.

“And who might you be?” Donghyuck asks, resting his weight on the doorframe. Although his body posture seems relaxed, Mark can see that Donghyuck is glaring at Jinho. He finds it intimidating, but also kind of hot. And Mark _should_ be blocking out these thoughts, he just can´t bring his heart and body to understand it.

“I´m Mark Hyung´s date, and we´ll be going now,” Jinho states as he grabs the elder´s hand. Mark thinks his hand is a bit sweaty and it´s gross, but he holds in his grimace. Jinho tugs at his hand and Mark gets out of the dorm. Until the auburn-haired boy talks.

“So you like being called Hyung, baby boy?” Donghyuck calls after him, with a pierced eyebrow quirked and a smirk on his sinful lips. Of course, Mark blushes. He is about to shove Hyuck and engage in their usual banter. But Jinho speaks before he can reply.

“What?!” he says, eyes wide and completely scandalized. Mark panics; he can´t let his chance of getting rid of feelings go.

“Oh no! He´s only teasing, we´re only friends and nothing more!” Mark hurries to explain. Jinho squints at him, but seems to accept it. Mark doesn´t see the flash of hurt passing through Donghyuck´s expression. “Bye, Hyuck!”

“Have fun,” Hyuck replies, his honey sweet voice full of bitter sarcasm, his eyes on the ground. “And I won´t be here tonight, so feel free to do whatever here later.”

“I thought…” Mark starts, then he realizes he´s in front of his date and should probably not be saying anything about this. Besides, he should try to avoid Donghyuck, so that his feelings will go away sooner. Yeah, he should want that. “O-Okay,” he says, despite his true feelings. Donghyuck doesn´t look at him.

Mark feels a pang of hurt in his chest.

“Let´s go, Hyung,” Jinho says, pulling at his hand and reminding him that he has a date with a cute boy – even if he´s not the cute boy Mark likes.

“Yeah,” he replies, following the blond boy.

Throughout the date, Mark´s heart feels heavy.

By the end, the date with Jinho is useless. Mark ends up thinking about Donghyuck and his disappointed expression – he ends up comparing everything Jinho does to how Hyuck would do it. The date doesn´t help him forget Donghyuck, it reminds Mark of him.

Then, Mark comes back to dorm to find that Hyuck is, indeed, out. He doesn't want to know what he´s up to. But his heart sinks more, anyway.

For how smart everyone thinks Mark is, he was enough of a fool to fall in love with a fuckboy. And it´s not even Donghyuck´s fault. Mark can´t blame Hyuck for sleeping around when he is the one who fell in love.

It´s weird and confusing and Mark is so in love it actually hurts.

Yet, Mark accepts Jinho´s invitation to another date. He just hopes the next one will help his feelings for his roommate fade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this, but dw it´ll get better (hopefully) when Mark pulls his head out of his ass.  
> I hope you enjoyed it so far! Update sometime next week. 
> 
> Come talk to me on [Twitter !](https://twitter.com/tooweird2live1)


	3. With blurred lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They take two steps back and one step foward; love is never as easy as a straight line. That´d be boring.   
> But don´t worry, they figure it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Early update! And finally time for purple-haired Donghyck to appear!! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it!

Mark is not dumb, he´s just confused. In fact, he is _very_ confused.

His friendship with Donghyuck is…weird, to say the least. First, Mark is still very much in love with Donghyuck. Two, he still keeps going out on dates with Jinho. Three, things with Hyuck after said dates are always tense. Four, then they go back to pretending that said tension doesn´t exist.

To summarize it all: very fucking confusing.

Donghyuck is such a good friend, such a good person. He might look tough on the outside and some people might consider him harsh for his honesty. However, he is kind and considerate, he takes care of the people around him with his actions. And he makes Mark feel understood, safe.

They are good friends, but Mark can´t help falling in love with Hyuck more and more every day.

The thing is that nothing has really changed in Mark and Hyuck´s dynamic. He talks to Mark the way he usually does, he flirts with him the way he usually does, he cooks for him the way he usually does, he jokes and smiles and behaves as he usually does. Nothing changes except for the fact that they keep spending more and more time together. It´s not even Mark´s fault; he´d tried avoiding Donghyuck, but, for some reason, Hyuck had made it his life mission to spend more time with Mark, cause he keeps spending his weekends, his nights and most of his mornings with the older boy. It confuses Mark even more.

Yet, whenever Mark goes on a date, Donghyuck acts strange. Whenever Jinho picks Mark up, Donghyuck looks absolutely pissed. Then, he disappears for one or two days, completely ignoring Mark. But he never confronts the older boy; he comes back and laughs and jokes and it´s as if nothing had happened.

It all makes Mark hurt and try harder to let go of his feelings for the younger, and then go and fall deeper for him.

And sometimes, the thought that maybe Donghyuck likes him back crosses Mark´s mind. Those times when it looks like maybe Hyuck is not angry at Jinho but jealous of him. Those times when Donghyuck comes into his room with dinner in his hand and a smile on his face. Those times when Hyuck compliments him and his voice gets softer. Those times when Mark talks and Hyuck is just looking at him with the uttermost attention and stars in his eyes.

It makes Mark´s heart flutter and his stomach tighten. And then sink with the realization that it´s all probably just his mind playing tricks on him.

There are moments in which the tension between them seems to grow. When Mark is unable to hide his feelings properly and Donghyuck notices.

It is in moments like these that make Mark want to confess and get it over with. However, he never does.

Mark thinks that maybe his optimistic idea of love is not so close to truth.

***

Mark is currently baking. Or well, more like learning how to bake – standing next to Donghyuck as the younger bakes, sounds more accurate. 

In his defense, it was Donghyuck´s fault.

“C´mon, pretty boy. You gotta learn how to bake cookies, at least! They are a basic thing for your diet!” the younger boy had claimed. And well, here is Mark. Not because he wants to spend time with Hyuck, but because he actually eats cookies pretty often and they are a necessity for him.

Yeah.

And sincerely, everything is going fine. Watching Hyuck sing and dance cutely in the kitchen while he adds in the ingredients for the batter is an extremely enjoyable activity for Mark. Seeing campus´ so called bad boy with his dark clothes, his pierced eyebrow and auburn hair, dancing around the kitchen with a small smile on his face and an apron on is just healing. Mark would never admit it, but he likes the way Donghyuck makes opposites crash and mend and transform into something so complex and beautiful.

That is, of course, before Donghyuck forces him to participate in the actual cooking.

“I don´t think this is a good idea,” Mark says nervously as Hyuck pushes him towards the counter where the batter is.

“Pffff, please, sugar plum, mixing the batter is not that difficult,” Donghyuck says with an easy smile. “You have to use those basketball muscles somewhere,” he adds with a wink and a quick squeeze to Mark´s left bicep. Mark screeches.

“I´ll blame you for everything if this goes wrong,” the older boy replies.

“The most handsome one always gets blamed, anyways,” Donghyuck says matter-of-factly. Mark scoffs. “Hmmm, no. You´re pretty gorgeous too, so maybe we´ll share the blame,” he adds then with a thoughtful expression. Mark blushes at the unexpected compliment. 

“Whatever,” he ends up muttering. He starts mixing the ingredients in the bowl slowly, and then picks up a rhythm.

Then, Donghyuck stands behind Mark and places a hand on back. Mark, being the panicked gay he is, is startled. And he ends up jumping and getting batter everywhere. Including Donghyuck.

“Shit, you really hate me for making you cook, huh?” Hyuck says, looking down to the mess on him.

“Oh my god! I´m sorry, Hyuck!” Mark says in a rush. He leaves the bowl with the remaining batter on the counter. Then, he grabs paper towels and starts cleaning Hyuck without much thought. Until the younger boy clears his throat.

“I can do it myself, pumpkin,” he says with a small chuckle. However, Mark can see his cheeks getting slightly pink. Mark´s heart beats louder at the sight.

“Oh, um, yes,” is Mark´s intellectual reply. Donghyuck pats the apron to remove the batter. Then, he proceeds with his face, but he´s not doing a very good job at taking it all off. “Actually, no. Here, let me help you,” Mark says before he can stop himself.

He takes the paper towel from the younger´s hand (again) and wipes Hyuck´s face with it gently. Mark feels Donghyuck´s eyes on him, and his ears start getting warm. But the older boy doesn´t seem to be the only one holding his breath.

Then, Mark makes the mistake of meeting Hyuck´s eyes. Hyuck´s brown, soft eyes full of so much emotion – even if Mark can´t pinpoint what emotion that is. But Mark likes it, likes the way Donghyuck is looking at him. He knows he shouldn´t, knows he should be avoiding this kind of situations – but Hyuck´s gaze is magnetic, and he can´t _pull away_.

The tension in the air could be cut with a knife.

“Um, okay, so maybe you don´t hate me that much, right, sweetheart?” Donghyuck says with a forced chuckle. Donghyuck does something unexpected then: pushing his hair back from his face in a nervous gesture. And it is weird, because Donghyuck is _never_ the nervous one, never the bashful one.

For some reason, Mark´s mouth decides to work, for once, in front of Hyuck.

“I don´t hate you,” Mark says in a small voice. _Oh, if you only knew how much I don’t hate you_ , he thinks.

“Even if king-stick-up-his-ass does?” Hyuck asks. Mark rolls his eyes at the awful nickname Donghyuck has given to Jinho. Despite the nickname and teasing tone, Donghyuck sounds a bit hesitant.

“Don´t call him that,” Mark starts, yet he can´t help the little smile on his lips. “He is wrong about you. I think you´re a great person, and I like being your friend, that´s all that matters.”

“Hmm, if you say so, pretty boy,” Donghyuck says, turning around and taking the bowl from the counter. Mark never gets to see his reaction.

Donghyuck finishes preparing everything for the cookies. Mark only watches, as per Donghyuck´s newly established safety measures. Donghyuck puts the cookie tray in the oven and says:

“We can only wait now, cutie,” the younger says, crossing

“Hmm, okay,” Mark says, content with waiting, just standing there in silence. Not even a minute has passed before the younger boy speaks again.

“Ugh, I´m _bored_ , sweet cheeks,” Donghyuck whines in an annoyingly, yet cute, voice. Mark rolls his eyes at him, smiling softly. And Donghyuck seems to get an idea, cause his eyes light up. “Let´s dance!”

“There´s no music, though,” Mark argues. Donghyuck shakes his head and grabs the elder´s hand. Mark´s heart gives a loud thump at the action. Donghyuck takes him to the living room.

“You do music, though. The music is inside you,” Donghyuck says with an impish smile. He brings Mark´s hands around his waist and places his own around Mark´s neck, playing with the short hairs on his neck. The elder´s breath hitches for a second.

“It doesn't work like that,” Mark softly complains, no real bite to his statement.

“Do I have to squeeze it out of you, baby boy?” Hyuck asks with a smirk. Mark blushes at the innuendo and also at their proximity.

“Hyuck!” Mark complains with an embarrassed huff.

“You´re so loud, pudding,” Hyuck complains, one of his hands mock-covering his ear.

“You´re the loud one,” Mark mumbles back, but he has to admit that his defense is not really convincing. Hyuck chuckles.

“Oh, wouldn´t you like to know, baby boy,” Donghyuck says with a smug smile. Mark´s blush deepens. He pinches the boy´s side and Hyuck instantly complains about it in an overly-dramatic way.

“Shut up,” Mark replies with a roll of his eyes and a smile on his lips. And his mouth keeps running off without his brain: “And you´re the one with the pretty voice, you should sing us a song so that we can dance.”

“So you like my voice, huh?” Hyuck says in a flirty manner, pierced eyebrow quirked attractively. Mark brings the boy closer, until he can bury his burning face on the other´s shoulder. He feels Donghyuck doing the same, tightening his arms around the elder´s neck.

“It´s a nice voice,” Mark says, looking everywhere but at Hyuck´s face. He misses the pink hue coloring the younger´s cheeks; he misses the way Donghyuck bites down on his lip to suppress a smile.

Donghyuck doesn't reply to that, he just starts humming a simple melody. Mark responds by gently moving their bodies side to side, following the rhythm. They dance like that, in the middle of their small living room, embracing each other, with Mark guiding their steps and Hyuck´s voice in the background.

Mark´s heart is beating hard against his chest, yet he feels comfortable, relaxed, safe in Donghyuck´s arms. His whole body sings with contentment. He tries to contain his feelings, but finds them firmly settled at the bottom of his heart and the top of his mind.

Mark doesn't think about Jinho, about hating his feelings for Donghyuck, about his desire to forget his love, about his stupidity. He doesn´t seem to be able to think about anything but the present moment, with the boy he´s in love with dancing with him. He can only think about how well Donghyuck´s body fits with his own. Can only think about how in synchrony they are, despite being their first time dancing together. Can only think about Hyuck´s little breaths on his neck. Can only think about Hyuck´s hands in his hair. Can only think about Hyuck, here, with him.

_Riiiiiiiing_

And the moment is broken by the oven doing a horrible sound, meaning that the timer is over and the cookies are done. Fucking cookies and their short required-oven-time.

Donghyuck is the first one to let go. He slowly detangles his hands from Mark´s neck and steps back – just enough for them to be able to see each other´s faces. And they look at each other, lips parted and barely a couple of centimeters apart.

Mark can feel puffs of warm air on his lips. He can see Donghyuck´s eyes flickering down to his lips. And Mark wants it, he wants Donghyuck to kiss him. He wants him to lock their lips together into a searing kiss that will change everything between them. He wants a kiss that will make the butterflies in his stomach flutter uncontrollably and fireworks go off around them. He wants Donghyuck to hold onto him as they kiss and promise that he will never let go.

Mark wants the happy ending he´s been dreaming about, one that comparable to all the movies he´s watched, the books he´s read, the songs he´s written.

He wants a kiss. He wants a relationship. He wants love. He wants it to be that simple.

He _knows_ it´s not that simple.

Donghyuck´s mouth gets closer to his. And Mark takes a step back, breaking off all the contact he had with Donghyuck. The younger boy looks confused at his actions, furrowing his brow.

“I like you, pretty boy. I like you a lot,” Donghyuck says in a hushed voice. Mark knows he´s not lying. “And I think you might like me too.”

“I´m in a relationship,” is Mark´s reply. He doesn't deny or even address any of what Hyuck said. His heart is happy at his affection being returned, but his mind is too scared at the prospect of getting hurt. He has to laugh at himself; for being such a romantic and optimist, he sure seems to suck at love.

“You could always break up with him,” Donghyuck says, taking a step in Mark´s direction. Mark takes another step back, keeping the distance between the younger and himself. Donghyuck´s confusion seems to increase at his actions. “Why do you even date him when you don´t really like him, anyway?”

“I…I do like him,” the elder claims. It´s not very convincing.

“Please, pretty boy. Anyone who knows you would know that you´re lying,” Hyuck replies.

“Oh, so now you know me?” Mark asks defensively. It comes out more bitter than angry.

“I do,” Donghyuck claims fiercely. “When you like something, you don´t shut up about it. There´s no way you like that asshole.”

“That´s not for you to decide,” Mark replies with a clipped voice. He wills himself to stay angry, closed off, defensive, cynic. He wills himself to shield his heart from the inevitable heartbreak Donghyuck will cause him.

“Why can´t you give _us_ a chance?” the younger boy implores. Mark´s never seen him so desperate. He feels like he´s about to give in to Hyuck´s puppy eyes and sad expression. But he explodes before that can happen.

“Because I know you, too!” he yells. “Because I don´t want to get hurt! Because I have no idea where you disappear off to after I go out on dates! Because our ideas about a relationship are too different! Because you keep sleeping around and I. Can´t. Take. It.”

Donghyuck´s eyes look conflicted for a second – hopeless even.

“Is that it?” he asks. “You don´t want me because of my commitment issues? Cause I´m done with them,” the younger says, looking into Mark´s eyes, trying to convince him.

“Oh, really now?” Mark asks incredulously. He won´t fall for the `I´ve changed for you´ act. He knows it´s not real. Donghyuck seems to notice his stiff posture.

“I know what you´re thinking,” he starts. “But in case you haven´t noticed, I´ve spent most of my time here with you or actually attending my classes for once,” Donghyuck says. Mark´s expression doesn´t change. “I like you too much to go around with anyone,” the younger boy lets out in soft, vulnerable voice.

And Mark wants to believe him, he really does. But he´s too in love with Donghyuck. He can´t afford to fall into a lie and then be hurt about it – God knows he´d never recover. So he decides to hurt himself before Donghyuck can do it.

“It´s too late now,” he replies.

Donghyuck looks like he wants to says something else, like he wants to fight for Mark. He does something Mark never imagined he could do.

“ _Please_ ,” Donghyuck begs with unshed tears in his eyes.

“I´d never date you. And I´d appreciate if you didn´t insist and left me alone.”

With that, all the fight seems to leave the younger´s body. His shoulder cave in in a way that makes him looks smaller, more vulnerable. But denial is better than heartbreak, Mark thinks.

“I understand,” is the last thing Hyuck says to Mark before heading into the kitchen. Mark turns around and leaves the apartment. He can´t be there knowing that Donghyuck is a couple of steps away; he´d probably give in and apologize – and he can´t have that, what´s done is done.

Mark starts walking towards his friend´s dorm. He guesses that it´s a good thing Jeno doesn´t go out on weekends, that way he´ll have someone to hug while he cries his eyes out.

And maybe the heartbreaker is not the boy with the dark clothes, the pierced eyebrow, the burning hair and the sharp tongue. Maybe the real heartbreaker is the boy with the pink sweaters, the round glasses, the romance books and the kind smile.

Because Mark had managed to break two hearts with a couple of words.

***

Coping with heartbreak is not as hard as people make it sound like. 

Mark doesn't stop eating, he doesn’t stop attending classes or turning in homework. He doesn't stop hanging out with his friends or going to basketball practice. He doesn´t drink to forget his pain or stop sleeping. He does cry once, in Jeno´s arms, but that´s about it.

He goes on with his life as he normally would. Or at least tries to do so.

However, he´ll have to admit that it is different from before. For one, he went back to avoiding Donghyuck, like he did at the beginning of the semester. That obviously changes his routine a bit, but well…

He feels like something is missing.

He doesn't want to say it, but he feels like there is a huge empty space in his life. He hadn´t really noticed how important Donghyuck was in his life before he went back to not having him in it. Mark hadn´t realized how much time he spent with Hyuck, how often he would text him, talk to him just be near him. He hadn’t realized how used he´s gotten to accommodating Hyuck´s little habits and having Hyuck do the same for him. He hadn´t realized how much of his cracks Hyuck had filled with his laughter and his teasing and his flirty remarks.

Mark just hopes that it will pass with time. He wants to lie to himself and say that he misses the pattern, not the person. After all, if that were to be the situation it´d be easier; between love and routine, only one tends to stay constant – and that´d mean Mark would finally be able to forget his feelings for Donghyuck someday.

Jeno says that he´s a horrible liar and that inconstant isn´t the opposite of impermanent. Unfortunately for him, Mark agrees.

Maybe coping _is_ hard after all.

***

It´s been a month since Mark and Donghyuck last spoke.

Mark thinks that Jeno is kind of done with his sulking.

“Look, I know I told you I didn´t approve of him, but maybe I was wrong and you should go over and sweep him off his feet,” Jeno says as he places a cup of instant ramen in front of Mark.

“He´s not a bad person, he´s just not the person I want for me,” Mark replies. His heart shrinks at his own words; he didn´t think he was the same as everyone else.

“Then what kind of person do you want for you?” Jeno asks with a disbelieving huff. “You´ll never find someone perfect and harmless, Hyung, no one like that exists. Besides, as far as I know, you find all his qualities and flaws just as endearing.”

“Well, I can´t choose which parts of him to love,” Mark answers, sounding defeated. His feelings haven´t faded one bit.

“So? What´s stopping you?” the younger asks.

“I don´t want to get hurt,” he says in a small voice.

“You´re already hurting yourself, though,” Jeno replies. Mark wants to smack him for being such a smartass, but he has to admit he´s right. “Weren´t you the one who believed that, despite the risks, it was better to take a chance in case it worked out?”

“Yeah…”

“It´s pretty silly to have two people who like each other and don´t do anything about just because _maybe_ it won´t work out perfectly,” he says. It makes sense in Mark´s head, but it doesn´t completely extinguish the fear in his heart. He stays quiet. “So, go get your man!” Jeno yells, with his eyes and mouth wide open and his arms wildly gesturing around.

“When did you grow to be so wise?” Mark answers with a chuckle, ruffling Jeno´s hair, deflecting from the topic.

Even if Mark agrees with everything Jeno just said, he doesn´t go and confront Donghyuck. The fact that he knows his fear is a tiny bit stupid now, doesn´t make that fear any less real.

So, maybe Mark is not confused anymore. Maybe he´s actually being a little dumb.

***

Another week passes without Mark making any move to talk to Donghyuck. Even his older friends have started noticing that something is wrong; they all tell him that he used to look happier and a little more relaxed before. Mark tells them he´s just tired.

And Jeno tells him that he´s done with his bullshit and denial.

“My boyfriend told me something that might interest you,” Jeno tells Mark as they walk in direction to the younger´s dorm.

“What did Jaemin say this time?” Mark asks.

“Jaemin said that Jisung told him that Chenle told him that Yukhei said Renjun told him-“

“I´m so confused right now,” Mark says before Jeno can finish.

“Whatever,” Jeno scoffs. “Point is, Renjun said that Lee Donghyuck is sick and that he won´t be able to bring him any food today,” he finishes.

“Hyuck is sick?!” Mark asks with wide eyes. He bites his lower lip in worry.

“Well, Renjun is kind of his best friend, so I believe what he says about Donghyuck,” Jeno replies.

“And you were talking to all these people because…?”

“I care about you _and_ you can´t keep living in my dorm, my roommate will kill me,” the younger boy answers with a smile. That smile is too sweet for what he´s saying. Mark would feel betrayed if he wasn´t worried for Donghyuck.

“Well, tell them that I´m bringing food to Hyuck,” he says firmly. He doesn´t even wait for Jeno to answer, he just takes off to a restaurant that serves Donghyuck´s favorite chicken broth.

Maybe it´s time for him to fix what he broke.

***

Mark enters the dorm. Even after so many weeks of not being here, the place looks mostly unchanged. If anything, the only visible thing is that it´s cleaner (oops).

He leaves the bag with the food on the kitchen counter and heads to Hyuck´s room. He opens the door slowly, trying to make as little noise as possible, since the younger boy is probably sleeping. And he is right. He finds Hyuck lying on his bed, peacefully sleeping.

Mark notices some small changes in Donghyuck; for one, his hair is longer and now it is dyed in a purplish brown color instead of auburn. He´s also wearing one of Mark´s hoodies. And he looks tired. Mark thinks that lots of things can happen in five weeks.

Seeing the younger boy like that makes realization hit Mark like a brick to the face; it is not the routine he´s missing. He misses Donghyuck. He misses hanging out. He misses the jokes. He misses the shared meals. He misses the teasing. He misses the bickering. He misses the late-night talks. He even misses the fights. He misses Donghyuck´s voice when he sings and hums. He misses Donghyuck´s eyes. He misses Donghyuck´s smile. He misses Donghyuck´s laugh. He misses Donghyuck. So much.

He wants to come back to their dorm, he wants to come back to Donghyuck. He wants to fix this.

And maybe he´s not ready for a relationship with Hyuck, but he wants to at least go back to be his friend.

However, that conversation will probably have to wait, seeing as Hyuck is asleep. Mark turns around to leave the room. And the door creaks. Loudly.

“Mark?” a honey-like voice calls. Mark´s heart beats faster at the sound and he turns around.

“Hi,” he answers, unconsciously bringing a hand up to the back of his neck. “Wow, you used my actual name.”

“Well, I figured flirting is a bit inappropriate for the situation,” the younger boy answers with a shrug. Mark grimaces; he doesn´t want things to be like this anymore. Seeing his expression, Donghyuck shows his own distaste for the situation crossing his arms and pouting (so cutely, if you ask Mark). “And I´m still mad at you.”

“I´m sorry,” he answers with a defeated sigh. “I came here to talk to you but you should go back to sleep-“

“Don´t leave,” Hyuck says. He tries to say as a demand, but it sounds more like a plea. And Mark´s heart aches at the words, at the sight of panic in Donghyuck´s eyes.

“I´m not leaving,” he replies.

“You said that last time, and you still left,” Donghyuck says sadly. Mark furrows his eyebrows, confused – and then he remembers that night, when they made that pinky promise. Maybe Mark had hurt Donghyuck more than he´d thought.

“I´m sorry,” Mark says sincerely, looking at the younger boy in the eyes. Donghyuck looks him up and down, scrutinizing, as if trying to see his true intentions. Mark continues. “I´m sorry for breaking my promise. I´m sorry for being an ass to you. I´m sorry for not talking to you sooner. I´m sorry for _everything_.”

Donghyuck´s gaze softens.

“I´m sorry, too,” the younger boy says with honesty. “I shouldn´t have pushed you and I should have been more respectful of your boundaries, shouldn´t have gotten mad for you rejecting me. And I was an ass to you, too, so…sorry about that.”

“I´ll forgive you if you forgive me,” Mark says with a little smile on his lips. Donghyuck´s eyes crinkle when he smiles.

“Deal,” he replies. “Can we go back to being friends?” he asks, a hopeful light in his eyes. Mark feels his heart break a little; of course Donghyuck wouldn´t want anything with him after their fight. But it´s okay, he tells himself, as long as he can have the younger boy in his life – even if he´s in the friendzone forever. He can almost hear the way his heart cracks. However, he still smiles.

“Friends,” he agrees. He changes the topic before he can say something he´ll regret. “You hungry? I brought chicken broth from your favorite place.”

Donghyuck´s face considerably brightens up at the mention of food. He nods enthusiastically. Mark smiles at his cuteness.

“Hey, pretty boy?” Hyuck calls after him. Mark feels his heartbeat quicken up at the nickname; it´s been long since he heard it.

“Yeah?”

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too, Hyuck,” he answers sincerely. Donghyuck beams at him and Mark lets out a soft chuckle. They´re okay.

***

Turns out that a sick Hyuck is a whiny, needy, cute Hyuck. Besides, with his droopy eyes, his long purplish hair, his oversized clothes and pouty lips… This boy manages to make sick look good on him.

Mark feels _very_ attacked.

“C´mon, sweet cheeks, feed me,” Donghyuck whines, puppy eyes on full cuteness mode.

“No,” Mark refuses firmly. Donghyuck´s pouting intensifies. Mark´s heart stutters.

“You won´t feed me cause you don´t care about me and you don´t care if I starve to death,” Hyuck whines dramatically. “And my friends forced you here but you don´t wanna be here with me, oh I´m so saaaaaaaad-“

“Oh my god, shut up and eat, Hyuck.”

If only Donghyuck knew how much he matters to Mark. How much Mark cares and wants him close. How utterly, stupidly in love he is with him. If only he knew that his friends had done him the favor, had given him the chance to come back. Donghyuck would probably laugh at him and his stupid crush. But well. At least Mark is allowed to care as a friend – even if he wants more and dumbly lost the chance to have it.

“Noooo, now I´m too sad to eat cause you´re so mean to me,” the younger keeps up his act and his pout.

“Your hands are perfectly functional, you can eat on your own,” Mark is trying to look exasperated but he can´t help the little smile that comes to his lips at the boy´s antics.

“I know what will get you to listen to me!” Donghyuck says with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “If I remember correctly, you like being called Hyung, right, baby boy?” he says with a smirk and an obnoxious wink, completely changing his cute demeanor from earlier.

“Lee Donghyuck!!!”

“ _Mark Hyung_ ,” Donghyuck says in a breathy, almost sounding like a moan way. Mark instantly blushes and feels his heart pick up. Donghyuck starts talking again: “Mark Hyung, feed me. Or don´t you care about me – _oooomph_ -“

Mark shoves a spoonful of broth into Hyuck´s mouth, effectively shutting him up.

Geez, sick Hyuck is too much for his heart to handle.

When it looks like Donghyuck will start speaking again, Mark shoves another spoonful of broth into his mouth – rather unceremoniously, if I might add. Donghyuck looks a little bit annoyed at his tactic, but also content from being indulged. He keeps giving happy sighs here and there, and Mark feels so, so endeared.

“Your friends are right, I like you better when you´re quiet,” Mark teases. Donghyuck sputter indignantly.

“Excuse you, listening to my voice is a pleasure restricted to a few and you all should appreciate it more,” Hyuk replies. Then he asks: “Wait, you actually know my friends?”

“We have a couple of friends in common, apparently,” Mark says with a shrug. “Jeno´s boyfriend, Jaemin, kind of adopted this kid Jisung, who is friends with this Chenle guy, who knows Yukhei, who is friends with Renjun, who turned out to be your best friend.”

“Damn, it´s a small world,” Donghyuck says.

“Yup, I actually don´t know how I hadn´t met Renjun before, he´s pretty cool and handsome,” Mark adds without thinking. Donghyuck huffs and crosses his arms over his chest.

“Renjun is great but he´s also a little bitch,” Donghyuck says with a pout and a slight frown on his brow. Mark is confused yet again.

“I thought he was your best friend…?”

“I love that little bitch, don´t get me wrong,” Donghyuck clarifies.

“He is likeable and quite smart,” Mark says innocently. He gets to another level of confusion when Donghyuck scoffs. “What? Did I say something wrong?”

“You meet Renjun a couple of times and you´re already throwing compliments everywhere?” Hyuck asks, suspicion written across his features.

“Yeah…?”

“You never ever compliment me!” Hyuck complains with a high-pitched voice and, oh, the pout is back. Mark kind of wants to kiss it away, but he knows they agreed to be only friends.

_I always compliment you in my head, otherwise you´d notice how in love I am with you_ , Mark answers in his brain. He settles for another reply for Hyuck.

“Well, you never compliment me either!” he says back in the same tone.

“I literally call you pretty, cute, handsome, hot, smart, yadda yadda _all_ the time,” Hyuck deadpans.

“I thought you only said that because you were on your flirt mode,” Mark manages to say without stuttering.

“I might be a flirt, but I´m no liar,” Donghyuck answers with a smile. Then he adds in a softer voice. “After all, you are quite cute, pretty boy.”

Mark feels heat climbing up his cheeks and go further up to the tips of his ears.

“Oh, thanks,” he intelligently replies. Then he adds: “You´re cute too.”

“Hmmm, not believable, but okay,” Donghyuck says. He probably thinks that Mark is only being nice, but Mark means it. Before he can stop himself, the older boy launches himself into a list of compliments for Donghyuck.

“You _are_ cute, but also super handsome and really hot. And your legs are so pretty, and your skin is like so soft and tanned. And you´re also really smart and cunning, and kind and caring, and so talented and your voice is just wow, but you´re also really humble about it. And you are so brave and bold and I really admire that. And seriously, your wit is just in another level of cool and badass,” Mark says, practically rapping the compliments in a rapid-fire succession. “Oh, and, uh, longer hair looks surprisingly good on you.”

Donghyuck is looking at Mark with wide eyes and his mouth agape. Hyuck´s face is as red as a cherry. Mark thinks blushing is a good look on him. Mark feels a little bit embarrassed about his outburst (his heart won’t stop pounding against his chest and he´s pretty sure he´s ears are red again). But then, Donghyuck´s smile splits into a huge, happy grin that overrides the look of tiredness in his face, and Mark feels like maybe the embarrassment was worth it.

“Wow, and I thought the purplish hair would scare you,” the younger boy says, recovering from his previous speechlessness. Mark chuckles, trying not to looks as flustered as he is.

“Nah, I like the hair,” he replies, ignoring his rant earlier.

“I´m glad.”

They spend the rest of the weekend like that; with Mark spoiling Donghyuck and Donghyuck being content with the attention. After those five weeks of silence, they finally find their way back to each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think?  
> Update someday next week, please look foward to it!
> 
> [Twitter !](https://twitter.com/tooweird2live1)


	4. And soft edges

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are confusing, but maybe they can clear them up someday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We´re almost done!! Mark is being an idiot again, but I swear things get better.  
> There is some really, really minor violence, like almost nothing, but I´m saying just in case.   
> I hope you´ll enjoy this chapter!

Being friends with Donghyuck is weird, to say the least. Not weird in a bad way, just unusual. Mark´s dynamic with Hyuck is completely different from those with his other friends. But it´s good, Mark likes it. It makes his friendship with Hyuck even more special.

They basically go back to what their friendship was before, with the slight exception that Mark isn´t dating now and therefore, Hyuck does not disappear. It is fun, relaxed, comfortable. They joke around and can rely on one another. They even meet each other´s friends – and surprisingly they all get along despite their different personalities. And they also start hanging out more outside of their dorm.

However, Mark hasn´t been able to get rid of his feelings for Donghyuck. It would honestly be fine, but Mark keeps blushing and being shy and overthinking stuff and it’s seriously driving him crazy.

Plus, Mark is really whipped. He can´t stop doing all these little things for Hyuck, just to make him happy. Like buying his favorite strawberry milk on his way to their dorm; or learning Hyuck´s favorite songs on his guitar so that they can sing together later; or letting Donghyuck cuddle up to him whenever he wants; god, Mark even plays videogames with the younger although he sucks at them, just to give Hyuck a good laugh.

His extreme fondness and how whipped he is are a problem – but he´s more or less used to that by now. What he wasn´t expecting was for his feelings to increase the level of physical attraction he feels towards the younger. Before, Mark thought Donghyuck was hot; now, Mark thinks Donghyuck is blazing hot, irresistible, charming, beautiful, enticing – he even had a wet dream about him, for fuck´s sake. Mark Lee is a holy, good boy, he does _not_ have wet dreams – or at least didn´t really significant ones before Donghyuck happened. 

So, yeah. Lately, it´s been a bit difficult to keep the `only friends´ pretense.

That´s why Mark develops a Method_TM to tone his feelings down. Every time Mark feels the need to confess, he reminds himself of why a relationship with Hyuck wouldn´t work out. The only problem with that is that every day he finds less reasons why it wouldn´t work out and more why it would. The two reasons that remain constant are Donghyuck´s sleeping around habit and his disbelief in good love. However, both if these reasons have their own set of problems; bad thoughts about love, for example, could change anytime (which gives Mark hope = bad). Then, sleeping around thingy…well, to sum it up, every time Mark thinks of this, he ends up thinking and wondering what it would be like to have Donghyuck sleep with him and turns out being jealous of all the people who have had the opportunity; it hurts him, but it also turns him on a little (don´t judge him okay, he´s a stressed boy).

Conclusion: Mark Lee´s Method_TM is mostly useless. He´s still as in love (if not more) as he was before. And he´s screwed up. Ha, fuck life, honestly.

Other than that little detail on feelings mentioned before, everything is going great. Maybe being casual friends will turn out just fine.

***

Maybe being casual friends _won´t_ turn out just fine. Why, you ask? Well, turns out people have nothing to do with their lives, so they love getting into other people´s business.

Before, some people had told Mark to stay away from Donghyuck. But it was mostly his teammates and that was it. Mark could simply ignore them. However, now it seems like the whole campus is aware of his friendship with Donghyuck – and they all seem to think they have the right to judge their friendship. Mark is really, really annoyed – and that´s grave, because ever-patient Mark Lee almost never losses his cool.

Donghyuck, on the other hand, is used to this kind of treatment. He tells Mark to just let it go.

“It´s fine, pretty boy. I don´t care about what they think, I only care about what you think. As long as you don´t start believing their bullshit, it´s all good,” the younger boy had said when Mark mentioned it. Mark doesn´t really feel comfortable just letting everyone shit-talk his friend, but he does as he´s told, if only to make Hyuck happy. 

***

It all blows up a month after they made up.

Mark is leaving basketball practice, bag in hand. He decides to take the short way to dorms, so he ends up walking behind the gym building. There, he finds an unexpected sight.

Donghyuck is fighting three guys. And Jinho is leaning against a wall, completely relaxed, watching.

Mark´s blood boils. There are many things that he can ignore, that he can take. But when it is about things that matter to him, Mar will always stand his ground and fight back. Donghyuck matters.

“What do you think you´re doing?” he spats as he strides towards Jinho. The other boy at least has the decency to look embarrassed.

“Guys, I think that´s enough,” Jinho says without taking his eyes off Mark. The three guys who were attacking Donghyuck stop and take a step back.

Donghyuck rises from the ground, but stays there, his unreadable gaze on Mark.

Mark looks at Donghyuck; he seems to be hurt. There is a purple bruise forming on his left cheek, and his lip is bloodied. Mark can only imagine what sort of injuries he has under his clothes. However, it seems like Donghyuck was able to hold up the fight, even if it was three against one; the three guys are all covered in bruises too. The only one intact is Jinho.

Mark is concerned for Hyuck, but he´s also searing with anger right now.

“You didn´t answer my question, what do you think you´re doing, Jinho?” he asks, his voice full with rage. Jinho doesn´t seem to catch the memo, as he smiles at Mark.

“I thought I´d clean up your image and help you get rid of this whore, Hyung. You can thank me by apologizing for breaking up with me and coming back,” the boy says with a smug and hopeful smile on his face. Unbelievable. And Mark used to think Jinho was a good person – well, apparently, he´s not.

So, Mark wipes off that winning smile. With his fist. On Jinho´s face. Hard.

“I will not go back to you,” Mark spits. “And you have no right to just go and beat Hyuck up because I broke up with you. Maybe if you spent half as much time fixing your personality as you spend fixing your face and grades, then you wouldn´t be such a presumptuous bastard.”

“You know what? I changed my mind, I don´t want you back. You´re a damaged good. Your opinion is not important. I always thought you had something for this slut, but now I can see just how blinded you are by your love,” Jinho say with scowl.

“So what if I am in love with him, huh?” Mark replies, completely fired up and a bit caught up in his emotions. No one should be saying mean stuff about Hyuck, he´s done with letting it go – and it´s none of their business anyway.

“You´re stupid if you even think of that whore as a person, because he only sees you as his bitch, a pretty lapdog that will follow his commands,” Jinho answers. Before Mark can answer, Donghyuck speaks.

“You would know, seeing as you´ve been a teacher´s obedient lapdog for so long,” Donghyuck says. Jinho´s horrible scowl deepens. “I would suggest you fuck off, otherwise I´ll tear you another asshole, right here, right now.”

Jinho looks absolutely furious, but also speechless. He huffs, curses a little bit more and live with his three thugs.

Donghyuck walks toward Mark, his eyes burning into the elder´s face with an emotion Mark can´t pinpoint.

“Why were you here?” Mark asks in a softer voice. He can´t take his eyes away from the younger boy. Donghyuck smiles a little bit.

“I came to pick you up from practice, but got a little derailed,” Hyuck answers lightly. Mark nods, his heart warming at the boy´s thoughts, but also squeezing tight because he ended up hurt.

“Let´s go home,” he says, offering a hand for Donghyuck to take. Donghyuck looks at his hand as if he was holding the world in it.

“Lead the way, pretty boy,” he murmurs as he takes Mark´s hand in his and interlaces their fingers, careful with the wounds on their hands. Mark tries to hide the small smile that comes to his face.

He doesn't know what this means, but for now, his heart feels at peace with him holding Hyuck´s hand. There is a hurricane of emotions inside him; hope, confusion, nervousness. But atop all of that, there is relief, love and safety.

Maybe things will turn out okay.

***

They don´t speak. Not on their way to their dorm, not once they are inside. Each one of the boys is caught up in his own head, in his own insecurities and hopes.

Mark gestures for Donghyuck to go to the bathroom, Donghyuck seems to understand, and complies. In the meanwhile, Mark goes to their small fridge and takes out a bag of frozen vegetables. That should be enough to make up for the ice.

Then, he heads into the bathroom, too. He finds Donghyuck facing the sink, with the first-aid kit already outside. Mark touches the younger boy´s shoulder and pushes a little, directing him to take a sit on the toilet. Again, Donghyuck complies without a word or complaint.

Mark lifts his hands over his head, motioning for Hyuck to do the same. Donghyuck does, and Mark takes the hem of his shirt and pulls it over his head. He leaves the shirt on the floor – there is no way it could get dirtier, anyway. The older boy inspects Donghyuck´s torso.

Mark would be distracted by the boy´s beautiful tanned skin, splattered with pretty moles, if he wasn´t angry and concerned about the bruises and rashes on his ribs.

Unlike most people, Mark has experience dressing wounds from fighting. Why? Well, because Jeno used to be into boxing, and Mark has always been there to support him. As the good friend he is, Mark usually helped Jeno with his so-called battle wounds. Turns out that practice will come in handy for this situation with Donghyuck.

So, Mark starts by placing the bag of frozen vegetables against Donghyuck´s cheek. The boy hisses at the sudden cold, but holds the bag in place. The look Donghyuck is giving Mark is indecipherable. His gaze is intense, but somehow soft. Mark feels electricity tingle in his veins and his heartbeat beating faster against his chest. Mark doesn´t meet his gaze.

Mark disinfects the little cuts on Hyuck´s arms and torso. He tries to be gentle – even if Donghyuck won´t make a sound or tell him to stop, Mark knows that it stings. Then, he proceeds to put some arnica on the bruises forming all over his skin. On the bigger bruises (like the huge nasty one on his right side, and the ones on his knuckles), Mark applies some ointment and wraps an elastic bandage around them. That leaves Donghyuck with a bandaged arm, hand and ribs.

Finally, Mark comes to Donghyuck´s face. He makes a point not to look into the younger´s eyes. Mark cleans the little cut on Donghyuck´s lip. Gently, he guides the frozen vegetables bag away from the boy´s face. He puts arnica on his forefinger and carefully dabs it on Hyuck´s cheek.

He is about to retreat when Donghyuck envelops Mark´s wrist with his battered fingers. Mark is confused (again). Hyuck just takes the elder´s hand and places it on his thigh. Then, he reaches for the arnica. He mimics Mark´s actions and starts dabbing the elder´s knuckles with it. And Mark, in his worry for Hyuck, had not noticed that his own hand had suffered form that one punch he landed on Jinho.

Mark feels the carefulness and tenderness behind Donghyuck´s gesture. His breath hitches in his throat. And he looks up. He meets Donghyuck´s warm brown eyes and sees…an emotion similar to what he´s feeling right now.

Mark feels…confused. There is a mix of many emotional stuff going on inside him. He feels relief, that Donghyuck is mostly okay. He feels anxiety, that he doesn't know where he stands with the other boy. He feels nervousness, that there´s such a tension between them. He feels fear, that maybe this will be the final strike that separates them. He feels _love_ , for this boy in front of him.

Mark doesn't pull back, but he doesn´t advance forward either. Donghyuck, as per usual, is the bravest one of them, and he breaks the silence first.

“Is it…is it true? What you said, back there?” the younger boy asks in a murmur. “Are you – are you in love with me?”

“I am,” Mark answers, not breaking the eye contact. His heart is threatening to come out of his chest with how loudly, how strongly it is beating against his ribcage.

“Good,” Donghyuck answers with a small, tentative smile. “Cause I´m in love with you,” he breathes out, biting his lower lip in a nervous habit.

And Mark, Mark can´t help himself. He doesn´t know if this blast of confidence is a result of having repressed feelings for so long or if it just the outcome of the emotional strain of the events. But for now, he doesn't really care.

With one hand still holding on to Hyuck´s and the other one lying on his uninjured cheek, Mark surges forward. He presses his lips to Hyuck´s, careful of the cut on the corner of the younger´s mouth. Mark does not feel fireworks or the world disappearing before them. He doesn´t experience any of the otherworldly experiences described in romantic movies, books or songs. When he kisses Donghyuck, he cannot feel anything but the softness of the boy´s plump lips. And even then, it is mildly a kiss, just a simple brush of lips, a whisper of the many things he´s feeling. But Donghyuck kisses him back with just as much tenderness. And it is enough.

“I can´t deny what I feel for you,” Mark says without drawing back, his lips are so close to Donghyuck´s that they brush when he speaks. “But I don´t want to be another one of your playthings.”

“You won´t – you aren´t,” Donghyuck is quick to answer, urgency in his tone and sincerity in his eyes. His hold on Mark´s hand tightens a little bit, as if he is scared that Mark will leave. “I would´ve never believed this could happen, but you came into my life and I started to see and feel things I hadn´t noticed before. I don´t know when it happened, but I just wanted to spend more time with you and then I got jealous of that asshole for dating you, and only then I figured it out… I care about you, Mark, and I know I´m not an expert, and that I don´t have the best history, but I want to try this love thing with you. Can you please give _us_ a chance?”

Mark takes in a deep, shaky breath. This is what he wants, but he´s still scared. Maybe this was worth the risk when their friendship was ruined before. But now, they´ve made up and reconstructed their friendship, is it worth risking it? Risking themselves?

As soon as Mark gazes into Donghyuck´s eyes, he knows the answer. The boy in front of him, he is hopeful, but he´s scared too. And Mark realizes that Donghyuck is as much in the line of fire as he is. He is at risk of being hurt too. And yet here he is. With Mark.

They might be different people, with different personalities, likes and dislikes. But they are also the same. They are both scared, both in danger, both flawed, both in love, both human…both willing to try for the chance at being happy together.

And Mark knows his answer.

“Will you be my boyfriend, then?” he asks. Donghyuck´s eyes open as wide as plates, before his face splits into a huge smile.

“Yes!” he says, beaming. Mark finds him really cute, despite all the bruises and bandages. “I´d really like to be your boyfriend, pretty boy.”

Their lips meet again, with more force this time. Mark traces the seam of Donghyuck´s lips with his tongue and the younger boy opens his mouth. Their tongues dance together, not fighting for dominance, just enjoying each other. Mark´s hand goes from Hyuck´s jaw to the back of his neck, playing with the hairs there. And Donghyuck places a hand on Mark´s waist, pulling him closer. It is not perfect, but it is them and it makes them happy.

Soon enough, their bodies are pressing together, along with their mouths. Donghyuck is sucking on Mark´s tongue and it´s driving the older boy crazy. He feels like a piece of coal has been set alight inside of him. And his little imaginations of Donghyuck doing all sorts of things to him come back.

Donghyuck seems to get the change in the mood too, since he starts leaving wet kisses along Mark´s jaw and neck. But suddenly, he pulls back. Mark frowns in confusion.

“Maybe we should take this slow,” the younger boys says, his eyes still glued to Mark´s now kiss-swollen lips.

“You think so?” Mark replies, not being able to control himself and slowly licking at his lower lip, knowing that Donghyuck´s eyes are following the movement. And Donghyuck looks like he´s about to give in…but he surprises Mark (like always). Instead of attacking his lips again, Donghyuck leaves a smooch on Mark´s forehead.

“You are not a plaything to me, and I´ll prove it to you,” the younger boy says. He stands up, takes Mark´s hand in his and walks to the kitchen. Mark´s mouth is hanging open, half in amazement, half in confusion. “Pasta sounds good to you, pretty boy?” he asks. Mark nods, dumbfounded.

“I don´t…understand,” Mark says. Donghyuck sighs. He stops getting ingredients out of the fridge to look at Mark.

“You are not like the rest of the people I´ve been with. I don´t want to rush you to have sex, leave and go to the next one. I want an actual relationship with you, all that there is to it, not just sex.”

“Okay,” Mark answers, a smile on his lips. He might be little bit horny, but he feels reassured by Hyuck´s words and actions. He might also be blushing a little bit. “So, how can I help with dinner?”

“Put on the table, I don´t want you anywhere near the stove,” Donghyuck teases.

“Hey!”

“You know I´m right though.”

Mark grumbles, but the smile won´t disappear from his face. He is happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a short chapter...sorry about that, it felt like the right part to stop. But, there´ll be an update next week! Hope you´re liking this so far!  
> [Twitter !](https://twitter.com/tooweird2live1)


	5. It ends with us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happily ever after is a journey, not a static ending. 
> 
> They are already together - that doesn´t mean they´ve got all their shit together. (It´ll be okay, though).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand the final chapter is here! Sorry for all the typos throughout this whole thing, those are the kind of things I only notice two months after being done with the fic. My fault for not haing a beta. But well, I hope tht you´ll enjoy this last, self-indulgent chapter!!
> 
> p.s.: (my attempt at) smut ahead

Their relationship is nothing if not sweet. They are couple-goals, confirmed by their friends.

Mark and Donghyuck don´t really change their dynamic that much. They only spend more time together, flirt more openly, hold hands and kiss. Lots of kisses. All kinds of kisses; heated kisses, slow kisses, simple kisses, forehead kisses (those are Mark´s favorites). There are also the back hugs, which Mark loves giving Hyuck while the younger cooks.

The only thing there hasn´t been is sex. Truthfully, Mark would not be bothered by the not-having-sex-thing if it´d been for any other reason. Like, he´s a romantic, he could even be in a relationship without sex if that had been the agreement. However, he´s been horny for Donghyuck for a long while now, and he knows that Hyuck wants it, too. Really, the only thing stopping them is Donghyuck´s resolution to prove Mark that he´s different.

And he _has_ proved it. Ever since they started this thing between them, they´ve gone to multiple dates; concerts and bookstores and museums and dinners (cheap ones, because money doesn't grow out of trees and they´re college students). That, plus the endless texting and calling during winter break. They´ve gotten to know each other more, to try what the other likes, to see new things together, to share these little moments. Mark couldn´t be more convinced that Donghyuck´s feelings for him are real.

And if all of that didn´t make it obvious, then the way the younger boys stares at Mark – like he´s the only important person in the room – gives it away.

And Mark couldn´t be more in love with Donghyuck. Before, he´d thought he´d reach the bottom of the pit of love one day or another. But every time he sees Hyuck, talks to him, laughs with him, kisses him…it makes the pit deeper. And Mark´s love only keeps on growing.

Mark thinks they´re ready for another step in their relationship.

Mark wants them to take the next step. He wants Donghyuck to fuck him. Against the wall, or on a bed, or a table, or literally on any available surface in their dorm. He wants to get down on his knees and hear Donghyuck moaning his name. He wants to leave imprints of his love behind on Donghyuck´s body. He wants to share that kind of intimacy with Hyuck. He wants it so bad.

But every time Mark gets closer, every time they kiss and he deepens it, whenever he makes the younger boy groan in arousal – Donghyuck always pulls back. And then he goes on and starts doing other stuff, and pretending he´s not as hot and bothered as Mark is.

And it is kind of a problem because Mark can´t stop thinking about it. He wants Donghyuck to fuck him. He wants to suck Donghyuck off. He wants to ruin the boy and also let Donghyuck ruin him. And Donghyuck won´t let him because of a point he´s already proven, and, therefore, is now senseless.

But Mark is a smart boy and he´s got a plan – which, unlike his previous Method_TM, will actually work.

***

The Plan to Seduce Donghyuck (PSD for short) has a simple start: hang around their dorm half-naked. This is an easy feat for Mark, since he loves going around in nothing but sweatpants – and those are a thirst trap. Plus, he knows his body is good, he´s in the basketball team after all.

So, that´s what he does. He comes home and gets in the shower. He puts on nothing except for a pair of black sweatpants and his round glasses. He heads out of his room and into the kitchen, tousling his damp, black hair with a hand. He finds Donghyuck cooking something while humming to a song in a soft voice.

Mark is nervous, but he is even more determined. He just hopes that Donghyuck won´t notice the redness of his ears.

“What are we having for dinner tonight?” Mark asks, drawing the younger´s attention to himself. Hyuck´s eyes rake his body slowly, taking in every part of him. Mark feels the heat in his ears expand and go down to his cheeks and neck. However, he feels pretty satisfied by the way Donghyuck seems to be eating him up with his eyes. He likes having this effect on him.

“Hmm, what would _you_ like for dinner, pretty boy?” Hyuck replies, his eyes finally meeting Mark´s. His gaze is heavy, dark, intense – it makes Mark´s insides burn with want.

“Whatever you want to give me is fine,” he answers, trying to override his embarrassment with recklessness and hot honesty.

Donghyuck bites his lower lip, eyeing Mark all over. The fire in Mark´s stomach is ignited and burns hotter with every second that Hyuck looks at him like _that_. The younger boy comes closer to the older one, his steps graceful and controlled – like he knows exactly what he´s doing to Mark.

He comes closer yet, and places his warm hands on Mark´s bare waist, gentle as a feather grazing his skin. Mark´s breath hitches at the action. Then, Donghyuck steps into his personal space, pressing together their chests.

“Whatever I want to give you, huh?” Hyuck murmurs into Mark´s ear, sending shivers down the elder´s spine and a blush up his cheeks. He´s so close, his breath fanning Mark´s jaw and his hands caressing the skin of his midriff. Mark thinks that this is it, Donghyuck will finally let them-

Suddenly, Mark feels Hyuck´s fingers tickling his sides incessantly. He lets out a loud laugh and keeps on giggling, as Hyuck won´t stop.

“Hyuck! … Stop!” Mark says between giggles. Donghyuck smiles brightly at him, a tinge of smugness in his eyes. Then, he pecks Mark´s forehead.

“You´re cute, baby,” he tells Mark. Mark sputters. Donghyuck chuckles at him once more before returning to cooking whatever he was cooking before. “Put a shirt on and come back, dinner is ready.”

Just like that, Mark´s plan fails. But he can´t feel bothered by it. Yes, he wants Hyuck, but he just loves being around him, regardless of what they´re doing. Besides, laughing along with him, seeing him smile, makes Mark just as happy.

Maybe there´ll be another time to try his seduction plan. It can wait a little longer.

Mark turns around with a smile on his face, and heads for his room to look for a t-shirt. He misses the way Donghyuck´s eyes trail him, and how licks his lips at the sight. Maybe Mark is a tiny bit dumb and dense and fails to notice how truly affected Hyuck is by his act.

***

Mark is brimming with excitement and joy. This day could not be better. First, Hyuck agreed to got to the game and watch him – like, Hyuck had gone to the games before, but never as his official boyfriend. But now, he had. _And_ , Mark´s team had won the game. _And_ , after the game, Hyuck had brought him out on a date to eat ice cream. _And_ , now they were sitting on a bench in a park, holding hands, laughing, and eating ice cream.

Mark is really, really happy.

And, he´s also seen a new path for his seduction plan.

The fact that he looks good in his basketball uniform is no surprise for Mark. However, he never thought that it would be something that´d rile Donghyuck up. Or maybe it was being sweaty in the uniform, he doesn´t really know. But the thing is, Mark could feel Donghyuck´s eyes on him the whole game – and he loved it. He loves having this effect on the younger boy.

So, when he came out of his quick shower back in the locker room, he´d chosen the one sleeveless hoodie he had in his duffel bag and a pair of shorts. And by the way Hyuck eyes his arms and thighs every once in a while, Mark can tell that he likes it, seeing the older boy like this. Mark only needs to rile him up enough for him to give in. He just needs an opening.

“I really don’t understand how you can be so cute and still manage to look jock-y when playing basketball,” Hyuck teases him with a wicked smile. Mark gasps in fake-offense, in a really Donghyuck-way (maybe they´re spending too much time together and he´s getting a kick from dramatics).

“That´s not even a word,” he replies with an attempt of a pout that ends up being a giggle – because Mark Lee can´t act cute on purpose without laughing or cringing, the actual cuteness comes naturally without him acting.

“It is a word now. I spoke it into existence,” Donghyuck argues.

“I don´t think that´s how it works,” he answers with a chuckle.

“Whatever you say, pretty boy,” the younger boy sing-songs annoyingly. “We both know you´re deflecting cause you can´t win the jock-y argument.”

“I´m _not_ a jock,” Mark says as he rolls his eyes.

“But you _resemble_ one,” Donghyuck states, taking the last bite of his ice cream into his mouth. “Like right now with this sleeveless excuse of clothing,” he says, touching Mark´s defined arm to emphasize his point. “This kind of clothing should be categorized as jock clothes, along with sport-tees and varsity jackets.”

Mark lets out a disbelieving laugh. They´ve both finished with their ice creams, so he puts their trash on the trashcan next to the bench they´re sitting on.

“Hmm, I just thought you might like to see me with an outfit different from hoodies every once in a while.”

“I think I´d like anything as long as you´re the one wearing it, pretty boy,” Donghyuck says with a confident smile and an attractively quirked pierced eyebrow. Mark tries not to react, but is unable to calm the giddiness down.

“Stop it,” he says with a flustered tone, lightly smacking the younger´s arm. His cheeks are burning up in embarrassment, but he can´t help smiling.

“Oh, don´t be shy, baby,” Hyuck coddles him, getting closer to pinch his flushed cheeks. Mark tries to bat his hands away, but Donghyuck is persistent. They boy climbs on Mark´s lap, putting his arm around his shoulders and draws closer to him. He playfully bats his eyelashes at the older boy, making him giggle.

That´s when Mark notices the little stain of ice cream on the corner of Hyuck´s lips.

“You have something here,” he says, pointing at his own lips. Donghyuck, once again, smiles mischievously.

“Help me clean it, baby?” he asks. Mark feels a blush climbing up his cheeks and ears; he´s about to wipe the ice cream out with his finger and be done with it. But then, an idea strikes him.

Maybe it´s time for Hyuck to be teased one instead of the one teasing. Mark steels his nerves and goes for it.

He takes Hyuck´s face in his hands and leans in, deliberately slowly. He makes a show of staring at the younger´s mouth, with his own lips slightly parted. He angles his head so that their noses won´t crash against each other.

Mark sees Hyuck´s eyelashes flutter and then his eyes close, waiting for a brush of lips.

Their lips are a hairsbreadth away from touching. He can feel Hyuck´s warm breath against his. His heart is palpitating wildly in his chest. He can almost physically feel Donghyuck´s yearning and mild desperation for a kiss.

That´s when Mark pokes his tongue out and licks the stain of ice cream on the corner of the younger´s mouth; slowly, teasingly, with a wet, barely-there touch. Donghyuck gasps, opening his big eyes and staring at Mark, clearly surprised by his action.

Then Mark draws back, recovering as much distance between them as possible with the position they´re in. He doesn´t dare to look at Donghyuck in the eyes – now that the adrenaline is gone, he is too embarrassed to. Okay, so maybe Mark is not too good at being the one teasing.

However, Donghyuck is now the one who surprises him. The younger boy surges forward and captures his lips in a searing kiss. He kisses passionately, quickly, strongly – completely the opposite to the way Mark was teasing him. And it ignites something inside Mark. Maybe he did get his goal, after all.

Donghyuck pries Mark´s mouth open with his tongue. He explores the elder´s mouth in a hurry, mapping every corner feverishly. He plays with the short hairs on Mark´s nape and drives him crazy with his mouth. And Mark responds with just as much rush and heat, sucking on Hyuck´s lips and pulling him closer yet.

But then, in an attempt to get a better angle at Mark´s lips, Donghyuck moves in his lap. And Mark lets out a low whimper. Both of them freeze at the sound, remembering that this is not happening in the safety of their dorm. The younger boy pulls back.

“Wow, pretty boy, I thought you didn´t like PDA,” Hyuck says, sounding a little out of breath.

“You distracted me,” he replies with a sheepish smile, his breath just as labored as Donghyuck´s. Donghyuck chuckles at that.

“Feeling bold, are we?” he teases. “But, it´s time to go home,” he says, standing up and leaving Mark´s lap. Mark clears his throat and stands up too. He takes his duffel bag from the floor and perches it on his shoulder. He´s about to take Hyuck´s hand in his, when a gust of cold wind blows in their direction. Mark is not bothered by it: he likes the cold (plus, it helps him calm down a little the situation in his pants). Donghyuck, on the other hand, cannot stop the whole-body shiver. Mark opens his duffel bag and takes his varsity jacket out.

“Here, put this on,” he says as he hands it over to the younger. Donghyuck hesitates.

“I don´t know, I think I´m okay like this,” he says. Mark doesn´t understand why he´d hesitate, it´s only a jacket.

“Come on, you´re cold and it´ll be even colder on the bike,” Mark argues. Donghyuck sighs, but takes it. He puts it on, and it looks a little bit big on him. Mark´s hearts beats loudly at the sight.

“Such a gentleman, aren´t you, pretty boy?” Hyuck says with a teasing tone, but the blush on his cheeks is evident. And now Mark knows that he loves seeing Hyuck like this. He takes the younger´s hand in his and starts walking towards Hyuck´s bike.

The walk is silent and relaxed. They don´t talk, but they still communicate through their hands, with gentle squeezes and soft caresses. They enjoy each other´s presence.

As they reach Hyuck´s bike, Mark speaks what´s on his mind.

“I think the look fits you,” he says, eyeing up Hyuck in his varsity jacket. “Maybe you could wear my jacket for the next game…?” he proposes.

“Hmm, I don´t know, what if I start looking jock-y like you?” Hyuck jokes. Mark rolls his eyes and the younger boy chuckles. However, Mark can see the slight tension on Hyuck´s face; he doesn't know where the worry came from, though.

“Hyuck,” Mark whines with a little pout on his lips. Donghyuck places a quick smooch on his cheek.

“I´ll think about it,” he says, appearing nonchalant. Mark doesn´t know why, but he feels like Donghyuck is not totally comfortable with the topic (for some unknown reason to him) and that he doesn´t want to talk about it, so Mark lets him be and drops it.

They get on the bike, with Mark on the back and holding on tightly to the younger boy. The rest of the way home is uneventful.

Mark tries to get the intense making out mood on again, but it doesn't seem to work. Donghyuck says that he´s tired. He gives Mark his jacket back and then heads into his room. Honestly, Mark is tired too, so he doesn´t really get to think about it before falling asleep.

***

It´s a weekend and Mark and Donghyuck decide to have a date indoors. Their lazy asses choose to have a typical movie night, because they can´t be bothered to think of other scenarios. Donghyuck chooses a Harry Potter movie (because everyone likes Harry Potter) and plays it on his laptop.

They are in Mark´s room – Mark´s found out that the younger doesn´t really like his room, he doesn´t have much stuff there; basically, he sleeps and hides there. Unlike him, Mark loves his room and spends a lot of time there. And with the development of their relationship, Donghyuck has come to spend a lot of time in Mark´s room, too.

Mark knows that it is cliché and unimaginative and shit, but that doesn´t stop him from thinking that this is a great opportunity to put his seduction plan to work.

They are settled in the bed, with the laptop at their feet. At first, they are sitting side, with Mark perched on Donghyuck´s arm. Mark is not usually clingy – he does like to show affection in private spaces, but normally, light touches will do it for him. However, he didn´t come here to play, he came to win over Donghyuck. So, Mark intertwines their legs and holds on to Hyuck´s arm.

He does two things; the first one is rubbing foot against the inner part of Donghyuck´s calf, and the second one is drawing patterns and words on Donghyuck´s arm. He makes sure to do everything slowly, to draw things out – judging by the way Hyuck likes to be kissed, Mark bets slow-and-light riles him up enough.

Mark moves his fingers thoughtfully while looking up to Hyuck´s face, trying to see if there is any change in his expression. But Donghyuck´s gaze is fixed on the screen, he doesn´t move or react visibly. However, Mark is practically lying on his chest, he can feel the reverberations of Hyuck´s heart beating faster and faster with each of his movements. He continues, waiting for the moment when the younger boy finally snaps.

And Donghyuck does snap, but not in the way Mark was expecting.

“Geez, pretty boy, you´re moving too much,” he says.

“I´m not,” he replies.

“Come here,” Donghyuck says, ignoring Mark´s protests. He changes their position so that the older boy will be sitting between his legs; Hyuck cages Mark, tangling his legs on the elder´s so that he won´t be able to move them, and does the same with his arms. He finishes by placing his chin on Mark´s shoulder. Mark is now restrained. “Now we can finally watch the movie the in peace.”

Mark huffs. The thought he might have actually annoyed Donghyuck crosses his mind, but that belief doesn´t hold for long.

In an attempt to get more comfortable, Mark moves back – and he feels something pressing into his backside. He gasps in realization; he actually managed to rile Hyuck up. So, Mark decides to ignore his embarrassment and shyness, and take his chance.

In slow, almost imperceptible movements, Mark pushes himself back on Hyuck, pressing against his semi-hard length. And he can feel it getting harder. But Donghyuck is competitive too. The younger boy takes advantage of the way he is poised around Mark and places one hand on his chest and one on his thigh.

Mark pushes back against Donghyuck, leaning into his body, and the younger boy´s hand slides higher on his thigh. His thumb and forefinger start stroking his thigh, playing with the fabric of Mark´s sweatpants, rising with each movement. In the meanwhile, the hand on his chest starts moving in calculated circles, making sure he never touches Mark´s aching nipples. Donghyuck moves his head, so that his nose brushes against Mark´s sensitive neck, followed by a graze of his mouth.

Mark´s breath hitches; he feels his stomach tighten and heat soar through his veins. His eyes are heavy-lidded and his own length hardened. But he pushes back. He leans against the younger´s body and opens his legs a bit more – as much as Donghyuck´s legs allow him to. And he moves his head to the side, baring it for Hyuck.

But Donghyuck doesn´t give in to his desires. Instead, he strokes down Mark´s chest, placing his fingertips on the elder´s ribs and going down his torso. His hand goes down, down, down until he reaches the waist of Mark´s sweatpants – and stays there, playing along the hem, his fingers sometimes going between his t-shirt and his pants, slightly underneath the clothes and touching his searing skin. Donghyuck even takes to playing with the cords of the elder´s sweatpants. Meanwhile, the hand that was on Mark´s hip, moves to the inner part of his thigh, avoiding the place where Mark wants it the most.

And okay, maybe Donghyuck is better at this teasing game they´re playing. But Mark is competitive, too. He ignores his wish to push forward into Hyuck´s hand, and instead arches his back, rubbing his ass on Hyuck´s hard dick, grounding against him. And he hears a repressed groan come out of Hyuck´s mouth beside his ear.

Mark knows he´s got him. He knows that Donghyuck only needs a little push. And he´s closer than he´s ever been before from making Hyuck lose control.

So, Mark gives him the last push.

“Come on, Hyuck, do something or I´ll do it myself,” Mark murmurs. The arousal and desperation are stronger than his now forgotten embarrassment or shyness. He feels Donghyuck´s chuckle rumble against his backside.

“Are you gonna touch yourself, pretty boy?” Donghyuck says, the amusement evident in his voice. But that doesn´t hide the obvious arousal in his voice.

“Are you gonna watch me?” he answers boldly. An aroused Mark is an unfiltered Mark. And Mark has been horny for Donghyuck for way too long to hold in his thoughts any more.

At that moment, Mark decides to look up, only to find the younger boy already looking at him with fire – so hot that the lust seems to melt – in his eyes. And Mark knows that Hyuck _wants_ him, just as bad as Mark _wants_ Donghyuck.

_Tun turun tun tun tun tun tun turun tun tun tun_

They are startled by the loud music of the ending of the movie. And Hyuck draws his hands back and releases Mark´s legs.

“Looks like the movie is over. I´ll go take a shower,” Donghyuck says as he detangles himself from Mark as fast as he can. Hyuck is out of the room before Mark has the chance to say anything.

Mark officially hates the goddamned noises that are always interrupting them. Fuck.

He gets up from the bed and places Hyuck´s laptop to his desk. Then, he follows Donghyuck. Usually, he´d let it go, but he thinks this might be important. Hyuck is not one to run, even if he´s been avoiding the sex thing. Mark feels like this is not only about the sex, there must be something bothering Hyuck.

Mark is worried about him. If something is really wrong, or making Hyuck uncomfortable, then they need to talk about it. He forces himself to calm (his dick) down and be a responsible boyfriend.

He knocks on Donghyuck´s door, seeing that the boy is not in the bathroom yet.

“Hyuck? Can we talk?” he says into the door, waiting for permission to come in.

Donghyuck opens the door and walks out, carrying some clothes in his arms. He doesn´t spare Mark a glance, heading directly into the bathroom.

“Sure, what is it?” he answers nonchalantly, still not paying attention to Mark.

“Are you okay?” the elder asks, placing a gentle hand on the other boy´s shoulder. Donghyuck stops before entering the bathroom and looks at him with a small smile on his lips.

“Everything´s fine, baby,” he says. For some reason, Mark doesn't believe him. “But I really do need that shower,” he adds with a chuckle. “I´ll probably take a while, so, goodnight.” Donghyuck places a quick smooch on Mark´s cheeks and closes the door behind him.

And something just doesn´t feel right with Mark.

Actually, he´s been thinking about this. He´s been thinking about the sudden change in Hyuck every time they get a little carried away. Donghyuck always tries to act as if nothing has happened, but Mark has learned to see through it; every time they get close, Hyuck puts on some distance – not only physical, also emotional. And everything will be back to normal the next morning, but it seems like each time it happens, Hyuck draws further away from Mark. That scares him.

He wants them to be happy. He wants things to be really okay between them – not just to _look_ okay but to _be_ okay.

They need to talk – to really talk, not just pretend to do so.

Mark stays. He enters Hyuck´s room and sits on his bed. He scans to room if only to find something to busy himself with while he waits for Donghyuck to come back. He doesn´t find much, though. Donghyuck´s room is practically empty. There´s only his bed, a desk with some textbooks and…and Mark´s varsity jacket, folded and in the middle of the nothingness.

Mark doesn´t know why Donghyuck kept it. The jacket is folded as though Hyuck was about to give it back. But he didn´t. And it´s been almost two weeks since that ice cream date. Donghyuck didn´t give back the jacket, but he hadn´t worn it in last week´s game (Mark tried to be rational about it and not think much of it).

He wonders why a varsity jacket on top of all things would make _the_ Lee Donghyuck hesitant – about wearing it, about giving it back.

While pondering about it, Mark falls asleep, surrounded by the scent of Hyuck.

***

Mark doesn´t know how much time has passed since he fell asleep, but he can feel the gentle hand caressing his head, combing his hair. He opens his eyes blearily and looks up to find Hyuck already looking at him, with a small smile on his pretty face. By the sweatpants, worn shirt and wet hair, Mark can tell that the younger finally finished with his shower.

“Hey,” Mark mumbles as he rubs the sleep off his eyes. He sits up.

“Hi,” the younger answers with an endeared smile. Mark can´t help but notice how tired Donghyuck looks. “C´mon, pretty boy, let´s go to sleep.”

“I actually wanted to talk to you.”

“I´m sure it can wait for tomorrow.” Donghyuck gets inside the covers and lies down with his back to the elder.

“I want to talk about it now,” Mark says, determined not to let Hyuck run away from him again. Donghyuck sighs and sits back up.

“What is it?” he asks, annoyance in his voice. Mark frowns at the tone, Hyuck never speaks this way to him – sure, he does so to other people, but never him.

“I just…” Mark hesitates, seeing how closed off the younger boy seems to be. He forces himself to continue talking. “I just want to know what´s bothering you, if you´re okay.”

“Everything´s alright, sweet cheeks,” Hyuck answers back. Mark´s brow furrows at the nickname.

“You hadn´t called me that since we started dating,” he replies.

“Oh? I hadn´t noticed,” Donghyuck says, trying to look surprised and dismissive. But Mark knows that he´s lying; Hyuck has always been one to give nicknames and hold them close to him. Cute petnames are not weird, but they were something that reminded them of their then strictly platonic relationship, for they kind of mocked the idea of a romantic involvement. Now, Hyuck sticks to calling Mark pretty boy, baby boy and baby, and it means _something_ between them – it means they´ve settled and made a choice and teared down the pretenses they were keeping.

It hurts. Mark knows that Donghyuck is hiding something behind that carelessness, that dismissiveness, that annoyance, that distance. And – and then it hits him.

“I don´t know who you think I am, but I am not anyone you can fool with that bad boy façade,” Mark states. “So you better take it off when you speak to me, I want to talk to the real Hyuck.”

“I am- I am not faking anything,” The younger stutters out, an unreadable emotion in his eyes.

“Really? Because you´re running away from me,” he replies, not with anger, not with distrust, but with sadness and worry. And that seems to be what breaks Hyuck.

A tear escapes the corner of the younger´s eyes. He brings his hands up to his face and lets a sob out, his whole body shaking. Mark immediately warps his arms around Hyuck and pulls him close. Donghyuck buries his head in Mark´s chest and grabs onto his t-shirt, fisting the material. This reminds Mark of the first time they talked for real, when they first became friends.

“I´m sorry. I´m sorry, please don´t leave,” Hyuck hiccups between sobs. Mark holds him tighter.

“I´m not going anywhere,” Mark says into his purple head, and then proceeds to kiss his head. He cards his fingers through the boy´s long hair until his breathing gets under control and he stops crying. Then, he cups the younger´s cheeks with his hands and looks at him in the eye. “ _Please_ tell me what´s going on. I can´t understand unless you explain things to me, Hyuck.”

“I´m scared,” Donghyuck says in such a small voice, that Mark wouldn´t have heard him if he wasn´t this close to him. “I´m so scared of you going away, but I am more scared of hurting you.”

“Why would you hurt me?” Mark asks, confused. He knows Donghyuck wouldn´t hurt him on purpose.

“Remember when I told you that giving your heart to another person is dangerous?” Hyuck asks. Mark nods. “I´m afraid my hands might not be fit for holding a heart.”

“I think you have gentle, caring hands, and my heart couldn´t be safer anywhere else,” Mark answers.

“But what if I hurt you without noticing? What if I don´t know how to do better and close my fingers too tightly around your heart?”

“Don´t worry, my heart is stronger than it seems,” he says with a small smile. “We can hold each other´s hearts side by side. We can protect each other.”

“And if I can´t protect you?” Hyuck asks, with so much despair in his eyes that it makes Mark´s chest ache.

“I guess that it´s not always going to be pretty, and sometimes it might be frustrating or scary or painful…but that means this is real. That is only one more milestone in our way, and as long as we´re together, we´ll be alright.”

“Such a romantic, pretty boy,” Donghyuck says with a small smile. Mark chuckles lightly. There are still doubts in Hyuck´s eyes.

“What brought this on, anyway?” Mark says. Donghyuck looks down.

“It´s been building up, I think,” Donghyuck says with a shrug. “First with the whole sex thing and then it hit me when you gave me your varsity jacket,” he admits. Mark cocks his head to side.

“I don´t understand.”

“I didn´t know why I was so scared of having sex with you, when I´d always been eager to be with you in any way you´d let me. I guess the reason was always on the back of my mind, but I didn´t take notice of it until later, when we walking back here and I had your varsity jacket on. And I…I noticed that wearing your jacket to the next game would be like making us official for everybody else…and everybody else would have an opinion on us,” Hyuck says. “I´ve heard some of the stuff people say about us being together…”

“I thought you didn´t care of what people say,” Mark replies, brow furrowed in confusion. This doesn't sound like something Hyuck would worry about.

“I don´t care of what people say about _me,_ but I don´t want to be the reason why _your_ reputation gets destroyed,” Donghyuck says. “You´re such a great person, Mark, and you deserve so much love and regard from everyone. Plus, there are always people who take it to the physical level, like Jinho. I don´t think I´m worth losing your reputation, your safety.”

“Hyuck-“

“Wait, let me finish, please,” the younger asks. “And I think that the reason why I was sacred of having sex with you is that, once it happens, I don´t think I will be able to let you go. But I don´t want you to get hurt because of me, I don´t wanna hurt you.”

It is not a surprise, but Mark can´t help but think about how much he loves this boy. This caring, selfless boy. And Mark won´t let anything separate them.

“I don´t care about what they think, I only care about what you think,” Mark replies, saying the same words Hyuck once told him. “I want this with you and no one else,” he reassures the younger, placing a hand on top of Hyuck´s. Donghyuck bites his trembling lip.

“I´ve never done this love thing before,” he says in a whisper, keeping the tears at bay. “What if I´m not good enough and then you regret it?”

“You know, I used to be scared of the ocean because I didn´t know how to swim. But then I learned how to do it, and not only did I enjoy the classes, I also found that swimming is one of my favorite things to do,” the elder says. Donghyuck is confused at the change of topic. Mark keeps explaining: “I think this is similar. Neither of us knows how this is going to go, but we can dive in together and try to learn alongside each other. And maybe sometimes the current will be stronger, but we´ll save each other and discover how to enjoy it. Together.”

There is silence for a couple of moments. Donghyuck looks at Mark and his eyes fill with tears again. Mark worries that maybe he said something wrong. Until Donghyuck wraps his arms around his neck and pulls him into a hug.

“You really have a way with words, pretty boy,” he says. Mark smiles against his neck and hugs the younger back. 

They exchange a couple more of words and some more innocent kisses. Then, they settle down on the bed, facing each other. _Smiling_. Such big, beautiful, true smiles. With such big, beautiful, true hearts beating as one.

Donghyuck touches Mark´s bottom lip with the tip of his finger, lightly. It´s a featherlike touch made out of fondness. He smiles prettily at Mark and Mark swoons.

Donghyuck offers Mark his pinky finger. Mark interlaces it with his own.

“We´re doing this together,” Hyuck whispers, like it´s a treasured secret they share.

“We´re doing this together,” Mark whispers back.

Donghyuck smiles brightly before placing a quick kiss on the elder´s lips. Mark beams back. Then, they link their hands together.

They fall asleep, feeling like something´s been lifted form their shoulders and a barrier between them has crumbled. They fall asleep feeling like they are completely _together_.

***

Mark´s blood is buzzing with excitement.

At the moment he´s finishing his quick shower after the game (which they won). He hurries to put on a white t-shirt, some jeans and a pair of sneakers. He barely manages not to poke out one of his eyes when he changes from his contacts to his frames. He just can´t wait to see Hyuck again.

It´s not like he hasn´t seen the younger boy for long – really, they saw each other in the morning. However, through the game, Mark had only been able to catch glimpses of said boy, and afterwards his teammates had ushered him into the changing rooms for the coach´s speech. All that time, Mark wanted to go out and see Donghyuck to confirm whether his eyes were playing trick on him or not.

Mark exits the locker room with his duffel bag on his shoulder and a huge smile on his face.

Then he sees Donghyuck waiting for him just outside the gym. Donghyuck looks as stunning as ever. His purplish hair looks beautiful like this. His stance is relaxed, with his back against the wall and his hands in his jacket´s pockets – in Mark´s varsity jacket´s pockets.

Holy shit.

Mark cannot stop the grin on his face from growing wider at the sight of his boyfriend wearing his jacket. He can´t even put into words how he´s feeling; seeing Donghyuck like this, wearing his jacket proudly in front of everyone…all that he knows is that his heart is beating so fast that it could just jump out of his chest in any moment. He´s so whipped for this boy, seriously.

As if sensing his presence, Donghyuck meets his gaze, not even bothering to hide the mirth in his eyes or the smugness in his smirk.

“Like what you see, pretty boy?”

“Quite a lot, yeah,” Mark says bashfully, but unable to hide his thoughts form Hyuck. The younger boy clicks his tongue in fake annoyance.

“Ugh, it´s kind of a territorial jock thing, I didn’t think you´d like it this much, baby boy,” he teases. Mark huffs at the return of the jock joke, but his blush deepens. Donghyuck then stands properly, drawing closer to the elder. “I guess you´ll like to know that I wore it for the whole day.”

Mark´s breath stutters.

“Yeah?”

“I´m pretty sure the whole student body has seen me with it, yeah,” he says with a dangerous smile and soft eyes, gauging Mark´s reaction.

Mark does the only thing he can think of doing. He takes Donghyuck´s face between his hands and places a gentle kiss on his lips. And Donghyuck kisses him back, wrapping his arms around the elder´s waist. The kiss is short and sweet, but they both know the implications behind it. They smile like they both know a secret that´s only theirs.

“Good,” Mark says as he draws back and takes Hyuck´s hand in his. They start walking to their dorm.

***

When they get there, it´s as if time has stopped. For Mark, it all feels like a dream. He can´t take his eyes off Hyuck either. The younger boy looks so, so handsome and attractive. His long legs and confident posture. His long, purple hair parted to show his forehead. His inquisitive eyes and quirked pierced eyebrow. His pretty, pink lips in a smile. How ethereal Donghyuck looks on a daily basis is simply ridiculous. But Mark can´t help admiring him every single day.

He doesn't notice how much he´s staring until, Donghyuck breaks the silence.

“Are you gonna stare all day or are you gonna do something?” he asks, all smirking and cocky, because he knows he´s hot and he knows just how much he affects Mark.

All the dreams he´s ever had, the fantasies he´s cooked up come to his mind then. Donghyuck fucking him against the wall, the bed, the sofa, the table and any available surface in their dorm, really. Him marking Donghyuck up, sucking him off. Kissing and so much filth. It all rushes back into his brain.

Mark blushes. Then, he clears his throat and speaks up.

“I want you,” he manages to say. It is not time to shy away from something he´s wanted. “Can we…?”

“I´ll give you free rein for the ride, Hyung,” Donghyuck says. His teasing releases a bit of the nervousness in Mark, but it does nothing to lessen he tension in the air.

Mark draws closer to Hyuck with rushed steps. He stops only when he´s mere centimeters apart from the younger, but doesn´t touch him. Hyuck waits for him.

“I want you to have me against a wall,” Mark murmurs, low and firm. Donghyuck doesn´t hesitate to take action. He grabs Mark´s sides and shoves him against the wall.

“Any other requests?” he asks, his eyes burning fire into Mark´s skin. They´re not even doing anything yet, but hey are both already aroused from the anticipation.

“Kiss me,” Mark answers in a breath.

Donghyuck complies. He pushes his plush lips against Mark´s and it feels like heaven. Donghyuck moves his mouth with expertise, trailing Mark´s lips with his tongue, and pressing and pulling just enough to make the elder curl his toes in delight. It´s messy and filthy, but Mark doesn't care because it makes him feel so alive.

Mark´s hands get tangled in Hyuck´s hair, attempting to bring him as close as he can. And Hyuck lets him. Hyuck plays with the hem of his t-shirt, whispers of his touches on Mark´s skin followed by the rough squeezes of his hands on Mark´s hips. Then he moves on to kissing Mark´s jaw and neck and the sensitive spot below his ear, doing something absolutely sinful with his mouth that gets Mark groaning loudly and desperate for more.

Mark feels the heat searing through his veins and going straight to his dick.

Mark starts grinding his hips against Hyuck´s, pulling out a moan from both of them. The friction has them gasping for air. They kiss messily, crashing their mouths while they seek out pleasure. Mark can feel Donghyuck´s hardness against his own and it is driving him crazy. He wants more.

The older boy pushes Donghyuck back, just enough to take off his shirt and finally have the boy properly touch him. Donghyuck´s eyes travel down his body, eating him up with fiery gaze. Mark can practically feel a ghost of his heated stare on his skin. He feels his chest burning up.

“Eager, are we?” Donghyuck teases, as though he doesn´t look like he wants to fuck Mark into the next week.

“I´ve waited for a long time for this, come on,” Mark says, the shy, blushing boy nowhere in sight. Donghyuck is amused by how arousal seems to end with Mark´s filter and bashfulness. He decides to see how much he can get out of Mark.

Donghyuck mouths down Mark´s throat and starts leaving kisses and bites on his bare chest and shoulders. He diligently leaves red splotches on the elder´s otherwise milk-white skin. Donghyuck riles him up, playing with his nipples, licking at them until he´s begging, and feeling him up all over with gentle yet rough hands. And it feels so, so good to Mark.

However, Donghyuck seems to take his time teasing Mark. But Mark has had enough time to wait; slow and teasing can come later. He wants Hyuck´s dick in him _now_ , as soon as possible.

So, Mark pushes against Donghyuck´s broad shoulders, switching their positions. Once again. Donghyuck looks happily surprised and still manages to look all too smug. He smiles devilishly and caresses Mark´s cheek with his hand.

“Can I ask just how much you wanted this, pretty boy?”

“I even made a plan to lure you into fucking me,” Mark lets out between heavy breaths, looking straight into Hyuck´s eyes. Donghyuck bites at his lower lip.

“Well, well, seems like you´re a nerd to the core, baby,” he teases. He brings his hand behind Mark´s neck, slowly drawing him in again. “What did you imagine doing? Cause apparently you´re not an innocent nerd, huh?”

“You tell me,” Mark replies as he slides down to his knees, never breaking eye-contact. His hands remain on Donghyuck´s hips, keeping him in place against the wall. Donghyuck´s jaw drops a little. Mark nuzzles against Donghyuck´s evident tent on his jeans. He opens his lips and mouths at it, looking up at Hyuck with big eyes. “Want me to do what I imagined, Hyuck?”

Donghyuck´s shock seems to have etched itself in his face, for his own lips remain parted, breathing loudly. He looks completely enraptured by Mark, by his sudden confidence. When he nods, Mark smiles. Fucking finally.

Mark quickly works at Hyuck´s belt and pants, pulling them down along with his underwear. His dick springs free, slapping against his abdomen. Mark reaches out and wraps his hand around the base, giving him a few pumps. Then, something catches his eye; on Hyuck´s right hip there´s a [tattoo](https://twitter.com/tooweird2live1/status/1284936834275880960?s=21). It´s a small sunflower, less than a finger long, with the words Live Fearlessly drawn as part of the stem.

Seeing how pretty the tattoo looks on Donghyuck´s tanned skin gets Mark out of his uncontrollably-aroused state for a moment. He still wants to suck dick, but he can´t help the fond smile that comes to his face at how Donghyuck that tattoo is. His hand comes up and his fingers graze the outlines of the sunflower with reverence. Donghyuck takes in a shaky breath.

“It´s beautiful,” Mark says unabashedly, looking up to meet Hyuck´s eyes. “You´re beautiful, Hyuck.” A faint blush touches Donghyuck´s cheeks and a shy smile comes to his kiss-swollen lips.

“T-Thanks,” the younger stutters out. Mark is surprised, he doesn´t usually hear Donghyuck stuttering. Well, he guesses that none of Hyuck´s hook-ups had ever focused on anything other than the sex – not even the person they were doing it with. Mark has to change that; just as he is different for Hyuck, he´s going to make sure Hyuck knows that this will be different with Mark, too.

Mark starts tugging on Donghyuck´s hard length again. He keeps moving his hand in a slow and steady rhythm while his mouth goes to kiss Hyuck´s tattoo, wet and making sure he leaves a hickey there. That´s when Donghyuck starts letting out these beautiful breathy sounds that have Mark carving to hear more.

Mark kisses Hyuck´s dick all the way to tip. Then, he sticks his tongue out and laps at the slit, getting it all wet. That´s when Mark hears Donghyuck groan. He looks up only to find the younger boy with his pretty lips tightly pressed together, preventing the sounds from coming out of his mouth. Mark thinks he can´t have that, one of his biggest wishes had been to discover the way Donghyuck sounds when he´s being pleasured.

He pulls away.

“Hey,” he says, pinching Hyuck´s thigh lightly to get his attention. “I like your voice, remember?” he continues with a somewhat shy smile on his face, which is ridiculous because he just had this boy´s dick in his mouth. Human behavior can be so confusing.

“Cause it´s a nice voice?” Hyuck replies with a breathy chuckle and amused smile, remembering the time when Mark first said that.

“Mmh,” the elder says with a nod. Then, he gets back to work.

Mark circles his tongue around the head, teasing the tip with his tongue as his hand keeps working. He wraps his mouth around Donghyuck´s girth and sinks down like a champ.

“ _Mark_ ,” Donghyuck moans loudly, bringing a hand to the back of Mark´s head, looking for something to hold on to. His whole body tenses up and he lets out a beautiful little sounds as Mark goes up and down his length, hollowing his cheeks and sucking.

Just hearing, seeing, feeling Donghyuck´s reaction has Mark getting more and more on edge. Plus, the little pulls that Hyuck is giving his hair are driving him insane.

Mark experiments a little, trying some movements to see what Hyuck likes best. He finds that Donghyuck likes it when he dives down fast and then pulls up slowly with hard sucks instead of quick ones. He also finds that he likes to have the head played with, be it with his tongue or just by lying kisses there. Oh, and Donghyuck seems to really like Mark touching his thighs.

It´s all very informative to Mark. He makes sure to save all those little facts for the future. And to enjoy all those sounds Donghyuck is making for him – because of him.

Suddenly, Donghyuck talks, tugging a little bit on Mark´s head to gain his attention.

“Baby, I really like your mouth, but if you want to get fucked, you need to stop,” he says breathlessly. He already looks wrecked with his red lips, dilated pupils and messed up hair. Mark really likes the view.

He stands up. Donghyuck takes his face between his hands and places a loud smooch on the elder´s forehead. Mark shrieks at the action, his ears getting red at the affection. Donghyuck chuckles at his reaction and takes his hands, leading him into his bedroom.

They start kissing again. But this time it´s not wet and messy and desperate. This time around, there´s more anticipation than anything.

Donghyuck pushes Mark into the bed´s direction. Mark pulls down his pants and underwear and sits back on the bed. He takes off his frames and paces them on his nightstand. And then he sees the way Donghyuck has been staring at him all the while. It´s like the fire in Donghyuck´s eyes had gotten rekindled into something dark, hot and molten. His burning eyes travel Mark´s body with desire and admiration.

Mark feels himself getting flushed under that heavy and warm stare. Not only is he naked, he _feels_ naked and bare and _seen_ …like Donghyuck doesn´t only see his body but his whole self, like he sees Mark for who he is and is entranced by him.

“Stop looking at me at me and just come here!” Mark says quickly, trying to hide how flustered he is. Donghyuck gives him a dangerous smirk as he gets closer to the bed.

“Awwww, baby boy, where did all that confidence from earlier go?” Donghyuck teases him. Mark huffs and rolls his eyes, if only he knew. But everything he knows right now is that he wants Hyuck, inside him, like, in this moment.

So, as much as Mark likes the sight of Donghyuck wearing his varsity jacket, he moves to help him take it off along with his shirt. Donghyuck chuckles at his excitement, but Mark can see how much he wants this too.

Mark takes a moment to admire Donghyuck. His beautiful purple hair, his broad shoulders, his tanned skin, his lithe waist, his burning eyes, his enchanting lips. How Donghyuck manages to look so pretty and dangerous at the same time is a mystery to him. Really, Mark thinks the younger makes opposites collide and form something unique and inexplicably amazing. Donghyuck really is one of the most beautiful people to ever walk this planet.

Mark reaches into the drawer in his nightstand to take out lube and a condom. He passes both items to Donghyuck and falls back on the bed, waiting for the younger to take his place between his legs.

“Come on, Hyuck, just fuck me already,” Mark whines, desperate for a touch. Donghyuck hovers over him, with a hand beside Mark´s head to support himself. The younger noses at Mark´s neck and then touches his lips to the elder´s, smiling softly.

“I really don´t understand how you can be so cute and hot at the same time,” Hyuck murmurs against his lips. Despite the situation they´re in, Mark blushes at the compliment.

“You´re rubbing off on me,” Mark replies with a smile of his own. Then, it´s Donghyuck´s turn to blush again. If Mark has learned something, it´s that Donghyuck likes being complimented.

“Spread your legs for me, pretty boy?” Donghyuck asks in a soft way, contrasting with his filthy words. Mark complies, opening his legs wider for Hyuck to get even closer. And Hyuck does, he leans in and kisses Mark, slowly pressing their mouths together. His tongue caresses Mark´s lips, seeking for entrance. And when he gets it, he explores the elder´s mouth with so much care and so much eagerness and so much adoration.

Mark feels Donghyuck´s hand on his thigh and going up, touching him with featherlike fingers. His breath stutters. He can´t wait anymore.

“Let´s get it, Hyuck,” Mark breathes out along with a giggle. Donghyuck giggles along with him. He gets some lube on his fingers before coming close to Mark again. His finger circles around Mark´s expecting hole, without entering. Mark gasps.

“What? You thought you could walk around half-naked, look hot playing basketball and get away with it?” Hyuck teases, whispering into Mark´s ear, the tip of his finger barely trespassing Mark´s rim. “Nah, I´m getting revenge, _Hyung_.”

“Hyuck!” Mark whines and then proceeds to smack Donghyuck´s arm. There is a little pout on his lips as he says: “I hate you.”

And Donghyuck takes the opportunity to slide his finger in and crook it experimentally. Mark gasps, throwing his head back, clenching around Hyuck´s finger and feeling his dick throb.

“You hate me?” Donghyuck asks with a smirk. Mark can´t help but feel even more aroused by Hyuck´s teasing.

“No,” he answers. Donghyuck´s finger moves in and out of him, careful but going a little bit faster every time. Mark´s breath is getting agitated all over again. “I only did that because I wanted you, _ah_ , and you were – were being stubborn and wouldn´t tell me about i-it,” he manages to get out between gasps and moans. Donghyuck hums in acknowledgement.

“You made it really hard for me…to control myself,” he replies. “But I´ll forgive you cause you´re cute,” he finishes with a devilish grin. Then, he gets another finger inside Mark.

Mark moans at the movement. Donghyuck is definitely being careful, watching out for Mark´s reactions all the time; that means he knows Mark can take it – wants to take it harder. And he gives it to him. There´s definitely a stretch, but Mark likes the burning sensation of Hyuck´s fingers drawing back and forth. It´s so good, that Mark starts pushing his hips back to meet Donghyuck´s fingers halfway.

And Donghyuck takes to kissing Mark senseless. He kisses him passionately, desperately and ever so full of desire. He kisses Mark´s lips and neck and chest. He bites the skin in some places, pulling and sucking and making sure he leaves prints of his feelings all over Mark´s pale and toned torso. Mark feels like it´s too much, too good, and he wants _more_.

“Another one please,” he breathes out, placing a hand Hyuck´s shoulder, if only to have something to hold on to. Donghyuck doesn´t even say anything back, he just slides a third finger into Mark, scissoring his fingers and stretching the elder so, so good. And Donghyuck´s fingertips keep brushing against Mark´s prostate and he´s whining and moaning almost uncontrollably now. He can feel his dick leaking and his heart beating, and he swears that he needs Donghyuck´s dick inside him in the next ten seconds or he will die (maybe Donghyuck´s rubbed his flair for dramatics on Mark, just a little).

“You good, pretty boy?”

“More than good, just get your dick inside me already,” Mark says with no qualms for embarrassment in his state of arousal. Donghyuck chuckles, appearing nonchalant, but his eyes tell a very different story.

“Okay then, but make sure to tell me if anything hurts at any moment,” Donghyuck replies with a firm voice. Mark nods in response, biting his lower lip in anticipation.

Donghyuck rips open the package beside him and rolls the condom on his dick. Then he takes a ridiculous amount of lube and smears it on his hard length. He positions himself over Mark again, the head of his dick teasing the elder´s entrance. And Donghyuck presses in slowly, connecting their bodies and making sure they are touching _everywhere_. Donghyuck is so thick and full and perfect. He feels so fucking good that Mark moans and clenches around him, making Hyuck release a moan too. Mark swears it´s the prettiest moan he´s ever heard.

He feels so full, so complete, so breathless. He feels so close to Donghyuck.

He´s not even surprised at how well their bodies fit together. It´s like they were made for each other; not like they´re both halves of a whole, more like they´re two completely different things that complement each other in such a perfect way that they mold together.

Donghyuck thrusts in and out, a little slowly at first, waiting for Mark to give him the green light to proceed. Mark takes his time to adjust to Hyuck´s length. But once he nods his head at Hyuck to tell him he´s ready…well damn, now he knows why everyone at school wanted to hook up with Donghyuck; he´s fucking fantastic at it.

Donghyuck rams into Mark at a fast pace. He gives powerful and short thrusts, hitting Mark´s prostrate head-on. This boy knows just the right way to move his hips.

And Mark would like to say that he thought about feelings and emotions and all that shit while they were having sex, but in reality, Donghyuck´s dick pushed all those thoughts out of his head. It´s just _that_ good of a dick.

The room is full of the filthy sounds of their moans and their skin slapping together. Mark is glad that the whole student body is probably at some party or out for the night, because otherwise, their whole corridor would know just what they´re up to.

They fall into an easy rhythm. Donghyuck snaps forward and Mark uses his position to push his hips back against him. Donghyuck adds more force and speed to his thrust as he goes, and Mark arches his back in pleasure. The animalistic pace Donghyuck set for them, has them both moaning and gasping.

Mark feels Donghyuck so deep inside him, it makes his vision go white with heat. He´s a blabbering mess, sinful sounds spilling from his mouth at every move Hyuck makes. He´s so close already. His blood is boiling hot and his heart could possibly beat out of his chest.

“ _Hyuck_ ,” Mark moans. Donghyuck´s pace stutters, but then increases, and Mark knows he´s close, too. Then, Donghyuck leans in, his lips graze Mark´s ear.

“Come for me, pretty boy.”

Soon enough, Mark´s body is tensing up, his ass clenching. The heat in his core tightens and suddenly he´s cumming with a scream of pleasure.

Donghyuck milks him through his orgasm while chasing his own. He thrusts in a few more times before cumming himself, letting out a loud groan followed by Mark´s name.

It takes a moment for both of them to get down from their high. Then, Donghyuck is pulling out of Mark. He ties off the condom and throws it into the trashcan. He only bothers to stand up to bring a towel to clean both of them. Afterwards, he discards it on the floor, next to their clothes.

In the meanwhile, Mark remains sprawled on the bed, completely boneless. Hyuck joins him after he´s done cleaning them up. They look at each other.

“I really like your dick, ten out of ten would bang again,” Mark says in a rapid-fire-succession. Donghyuck only looks at him for a moment before he bursts out cackling. Mark feels a blush creeping up his cheeks, along with a huge smile.

“I´m glad you like it, baby,” he replies with a beaming smile plastered on his face. Then, he leans over to leave a loud, wet smooch on Mark´s cheek. Mark shrieks, but lets Hyuck do as he pleases. “You deserved a reward for doing so good at your game,” he teases.

“Oh, shut up,” Mark mutters, rolling his eyes. “We´d ended up here anyway.”

“Ooooooh, so confident,” Hyuck singsongs. Mark sticks his tongue out like the mature adult he is and turns his back to Donghyuck. Only Donghyuck doesn´t follow along his game, instead he drapes one arm around Mark´s shoulders and the other one around his waist. “I would really like for us to keep doing this for a long time.”

“Me too, Hyuck.”

“Great, cause this dick has no return or refund policy,” he jokes. Mark half-heartedly smacks his arm.

“So, your dick is mine for forever?” he replies, following along.

“Yeah, and since you´re such a nice person, you can have the most special package, which includes me along with my dick,” Donghyuck says with a snicker.

“I´m such a lucky guy,” Mark answers. He turns his head a little, just to kiss Donghyuck sweetly one more time. Then, they both burst out in giggles.

They end up just sleeping there, both too tired to do anything else.

Maybe it seems a little anticlimactic. Maybe that was not the craziest, or raunchiest or sweetest sex either of them have ever had. But it was them, and their jokes and their bodies and their laughs and their feelings. And that made it different. That made it special. Maybe it was not the kind of sex in movies or books or songs…but it was intimate in their own way, full of memories and emotions, and that´s alright, that´s great. That made it perfect for them. That made it real and sincere and true. That made them _happy_.

***

Mark wakes up alone in his bed.

He doesn´t panic. He doesn't worry. He doesn´t even get up.

He trusts Hyuck, and knows Hyuck trusts him too. He trusts the promises made and the actions that have forged them. He trusts the bond they have formed and sealed. He knows everything is okay.

Mark looks around the room. He finds that their clothes from yesterday are no longer on the floor (probably because of Donghyuck´s clean freak tendencies). He also notices that the door to his room is slightly ajar. If he focuses, he can hear Donghyuck singing lightly to a song. Mark smiles at the sound.

He decides to put some sweats on and brush his teeth. Then, he looks in the mirror and sees all the pretty bruises Hyuck left behind. He smiles at those, too.

Mark heads into the kitchen. He sees Donghyuck wearing nothing more than a shirt and underwear, happily swinging his hips at the song he´s singing. And Mark´s smile grows, and his heart quickens. Seriously, why does Donghyuck have to be so cute?

Mark walks over to the younger and wraps his arms around his waist. He places his cheek against Hyuck´s shoulder blade, enjoying his warmth. He feels Hyuck relax into the touch.

“Hey,” he greets, nosing at Hyuck´s shoulder.

“Hi,” the younger boy answers. “Slept well, pretty boy?”

“Yeah,” he replies. “What are you cooking?” he says as he looks over the boy´s shoulder.

“Just a simple breakfast,” Donghyuck says. “What? Weren´t you satisfied last night? Still hungry, baby boy?” he teases. Mark smacks his arm, huffing. Donghyuck turns around and lays a sweet peck on Mark´s lips. Mark feels his ears become warm. Donghyuck smiles softly at him, but remains quiet.

“What is it?” Mark questions, trying to read whatever´s happening in his boyfriend´s mind through his eyes. It doesn't work.

“I was just thinking,” Donghyuck starts as he raises a hand to Mark´s cheek and caresses it. Mark leans into his touch. “Maybe romantic love is not as overrated as I thought. Maybe it _is_ a game-changer.”

Mark thinks that even the smallest things can produce a huge reaction in one´s life; something such as love might not be life-changing for everyone, but is bound to have repercussions. Mark thinks that loving Hyuck – and being loved by Hyuck – has changed his life for the better. Now, he just wants to find out what Donghyuck thinks about it.

“What changed your mind?” he asks curiously, cocking his head to the side.

“You,” Hyuck answers without hesitation. Mark feels a blush spread on his cheeks. He continues with a serious yet amazed tone: “Everything feels so different with you. You make me feel so many things.”

“I never thought I´d hear something like this from you,” Mark says in an attempt to tease him and lighten the mood. Donghyuck smiles back playfully.

“Well, what can I say? Your predictions were correct; I did find my own big love, pretty boy,” Donghyuck replies with a much lighter tone.

“Glad I´m a romantic?” Mark jokes.

“A romantic and a fortune teller, apparently,” he answers with a chuckle. His eyes meet Mark and there´s so much sincerity as he says: “I love you, Mark.”

“I love you, Hyuck,” he replies, accompanied by a huge grin of his own. Donghyuck beams at his statement.

Mark leans in to capture Hyuck´s mouth with his own in a gentle kiss.

And Mark realizes that loving Hyuck feels like rereading his favorite book, over and over again. Every time he reads it, it´s different; he either finds something he hadn´t noticed in the story or uncovers a new part of himself. Donghyuck feels familiar and safe, but he also manages to surprise him and push him to new things. And he falls deeper and deeper for Hyuck every time.

Mark knows they´re not perfect. Mark knows that their story won´t go the way it goes in books, movies or songs. Mark knows there will be obstacles and difficult times. It might get messy, but as long as they find warmth and understanding and comfort in each other, they will be alright.

Mark is not confused anymore, because he knows for sure that his heart is safe in Hyuck´s hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it!!!! Finally haha. Um,tbh this is not one of my best works, I kinda had an idea and then it took off without me, so yeah, not really proud of this one... BUT, anyways, I hope YOU liked it, and if you made it to the end, congratulations and thank you reading and giving it a try!!
> 
> [Twitter !](https://twitter.com/tooweird2live1)

**Author's Note:**

> Well, so that´s how it starts. I´ll be uploading the rest of this in the next couple of weeks.  
> Come talk to me on [Twitter !](https://twitter.com/tooweird2live1)


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